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Mori AT, Mudenda M, Robberstad B, Johansson KA, Kampata L, Musonda P, Sandoy I. Impact of cash transfer programs on healthcare utilization and catastrophic health expenditures in rural Zambia: a cluster randomized controlled trial. FRONTIERS IN HEALTH SERVICES 2024; 4:1254195. [PMID: 38741917 PMCID: PMC11089190 DOI: 10.3389/frhs.2024.1254195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Background Nearly 100 million people are pushed into poverty every year due to catastrophic health expenditures (CHE). We evaluated the impact of cash support programs on healthcare utilization and CHE among households participating in a cluster-randomized controlled trial focusing on adolescent childbearing in rural Zambia. Methods and findings The trial recruited adolescent girls from 157 rural schools in 12 districts enrolled in grade 7 in 2016 and consisted of control, economic support, and economic support plus community dialogue arms. Economic support included 3 USD/month for the girls, 35 USD/year for their guardians, and up to 150 USD/year for school fees. Interviews were conducted with 3,870 guardians representing 4,110 girls, 1.5-2 years after the intervention period started. Utilization was defined as visits to formal health facilities, and CHE was health payments exceeding 10% of total household expenditures. The degree of inequality was measured using the Concentration Index. In the control arm, 26.1% of the households utilized inpatient care in the previous year compared to 26.7% in the economic arm (RR = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.9-1.2, p = 0.815) and 27.7% in the combined arm (RR = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.9-1.3, p = 0.586). Utilization of outpatient care in the previous 4 weeks was 40.7% in the control arm, 41.3% in the economic support (RR = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.8-1.3, p = 0.805), and 42.9% in the combined arm (RR = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.8-1.3, p = 0.378). About 10.4% of the households in the control arm experienced CHE compared to 11.6% in the economic (RR = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.8-1.5, p = 0.468) and 12.1% in the combined arm (RR = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.8-1.5, p = 0.468). Utilization of outpatient care and the risk of CHE was relatively higher among the least poor than the poorest households, however, the degree of inequality was relatively smaller in the intervention arms than in the control arm. Conclusions Economic support alone and in combination with community dialogue aiming to reduce early childbearing did not appear to have a substantial impact on healthcare utilization and CHE in rural Zambia. However, although cash transfer did not significantly improve healthcare utilization, it reduced the degree of inequality in outpatient healthcare utilization and CHE across wealth groups. Trial Registration https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02709967, ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier (NCT02709967).
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Affiliation(s)
- Amani Thomas Mori
- Chr. Michelsen Institute, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Section for Ethics and Health Economics, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Mweetwa Mudenda
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Bjarne Robberstad
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Section for Ethics and Health Economics, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kjell Arne Johansson
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Section for Ethics and Health Economics, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Linda Kampata
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Patrick Musonda
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Ingvild Sandoy
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Rezaei SJ, Cissé FA, Touré ML, Duan R, Rice DR, Ham AS, de Walque D, Mateen FJ. E = mc 2 : Education (E), medication (m), and conditional cash (c 2 ) to improve uptake of antiseizure medications in a low-resource population: Protocol for randomized trial. Epilepsia Open 2024; 9:445-454. [PMID: 38131270 PMCID: PMC10839367 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Most people with epilepsy (PWE) could live seizure-free if treated with one or more antiseizure medications (ASMs). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 75% of PWE in low-resource settings lack adequate antiseizure treatment. Limited education surrounding epilepsy and the out-of-pocket costs of ASMs in particular pose barriers to managing epilepsy in resource-poor, low-income settings. The aim of this study is to implement and test a novel strategy to improve outcomes across the epilepsy care cascade marked by (1) retention in epilepsy care, (2) adherence to ASMs, and (3) seizure reduction, with the measured goal of seizure freedom. METHODS A randomized, double-blinded clinical trial will be performed, centered at the Ignace Deen Hospital in Conakry, Republic of Guinea, in Western Sub-Saharan Africa. Two hundred people with clinically diagnosed epilepsy, ages 18 years and above, will receive education on epilepsy and then be randomized to (i) free ASMs versus (ii) conditional cash, conditioned upon return to the epilepsy clinic. Participants will be followed for 360 days with study visits every 90 days following enrollment. SIGNIFICANCE We design a randomized trial for PWE in Guinea, a low-resource setting with a high proportion of untreated PWE and a nearly completely privatized healthcare system. The trial includes a conditional cash transfer intervention, which has yet to be tested as a targeted means to improve outcomes for people with a chronic neurological disorder. The trial aims to provide an evidence base for the treatment of epilepsy in such settings. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY We present a clinical trial protocol for a randomized, blinded study of 200 people with epilepsy in the low-resource African Republic of Guinea, providing an educational intervention (E), and then randomizing in a 1:1 allocation to either free antiseizure medication (m) or conditional cash (c2 ) for 360 days. Measured outcomes include (1) returning to outpatient epilepsy care, (2) adherence to antiseizure medications (ASMs), and (3) reducing the number of seizures. This study is an initial look at giving small amounts of cash for desired results (or "nudges") for improving epilepsy outcomes in the sub-Saharan African and brain disorder contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawheen J. Rezaei
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Fodé Abass Cissé
- Department of NeurologyIgnace Deen Teaching HospitalConakryGuinea
| | | | - Rui Duan
- Department of BiostatisticsHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Dylan R. Rice
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Andrew Siyoon Ham
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Farrah J. Mateen
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
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Chen Z, Park A. Rural pensions, intra-household bargaining, and elderly medical expenditure in China. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 32:2353-2371. [PMID: 37418243 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
China's rural elderly spend less on medical expenditures as they age despite declining health, raising welfare concerns. This paper investigates the role of intrahousehold bargaining power on health expenditures of the elderly by evaluating the impact of cash transfers from a new social pension program. The program provided windfall payments to those above age 60, making it possible to employ a regression discontinuity design based on age of eligibility to estimate causal effects. Using data from the 2011 and 2013 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we find that receiving pension payments increases both the utilization of outpatient care and outpatient expenditures by the elderly who experienced illness. This result is robust to controlling for total household expenditures per capita, ruling out income effects as the main channel. Consistent with pensions increasing elderly bargaining power, we find that pensions significantly increase medical expenditures only for those elderly who co-reside with children or grandchildren but have no effect on those who live independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyuan Chen
- School of Public Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China
| | - Albert Park
- Asian Development Bank, Mandaluyong, Philippines
- Department of Economics, Division of Social Science, Division of Public Policy, HKUST, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
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GONDI SUHAS, CHOKSHI DAVEA. Cities as Platforms for Population Health: Past, Present, and Future. Milbank Q 2023; 101:242-282. [PMID: 37096598 PMCID: PMC10126988 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Policy Points
Cities have long driven innovation in public health in response to shifting trends in the burden of disease for populations. Today, the challenges facing municipal health departments include the persistent prevalence of chronic disease and deeply entrenched health inequities, as well as the evolving threats posed by climate change, political gridlock, and surging behavioral health needs.
Surmounting these challenges will require generational investment in local public health infrastructure, drawn both from new governmental allocation and from innovative financing mechanisms that allow public health agencies to capture more of the value they create for society.
Additional funding must be paired with the local development of public health data systems and the implementation of evidence‐based strategies, including community health workers and the co‐localization of clinical services and social resources as part of broader efforts to bridge the gap between public health and health care.
Above all, advancing urban health demands transformational public policy to tackle inequality and reduce poverty, to address racism as a public health crisis, and to decarbonize infrastructure. One strategy to help achieve these ambitious goals is for cities to organize into coalitions that harness their collective power as a force to improve population health globally.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - DAVE A. CHOKSHI
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine and City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy
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Abstract
Early in the pandemic, New York City's public hospital system partnered with multiple philanthropic foundations to offer an unconditional cash transfer program for low-income New Yorkers affected by COVID-19. The $1000 cash transfers were designed to help people meet their most immediate health and social needs and were incorporated into healthcare delivery and contact tracing workflows as a response to the public health emergency. To better understand program recipients' experiences, researchers conducted 150 telephone surveys with randomly sampled cash transfer recipients and 20 in-depth qualitative interviews with purposefully sampled survey participants. Survey participants were predominantly Latinx (87%) and women (65%). The most common reported uses of the $1000 were food and rent. Most participants (79%) reported that without the $1000 cash transfer they would have had difficulty paying for basic expenses or making ends meet, with specific positive effects reported related to food, housing, and ability to work. The majority of survey participants reported that receiving the cash assistance somewhat or greatly improved their physical health (83%) and mental health (89%). Qualitative interview results generally supported the survey findings.
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Evans L, Lund C, Massazza A, Weir H, Fuhr DC. The impact of employment programs on common mental disorders: A systematic review. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2022; 68:1315-1323. [PMID: 35796434 PMCID: PMC9548920 DOI: 10.1177/00207640221104684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While employment programs were not created with the intent to improve common mental disorders (CMDs), they may have a positive impact on the prevalence, incidence, and severity of CMD by reducing poverty and increasing access to economic mobility. AIM To examine and synthesize the available quantitative evidence of the impact of employment programs on outcomes of CMD. METHODS Embase, Econlit, Global Health, MEDLINE, APA PsychINFO, and Social Policy and Practice were searched for experimental and quasi-experimental studies which investigated the impact of employment programs on primary and secondary outcomes of a CMD. A narrative synthesis according to Popay was conducted. The methodological quality of studies was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Assessment Scale. RESULTS Of the 1,327 studies retrieved, two randomized controlled trials, one retrospective cohort, one pilot study with a non-randomized experimental design, and one randomized field experiment were included in the final review. Employment programs generally included multiple components such as skills-based training, and hands-on placements. Depression and anxiety were the CMDs measured as primary or secondary outcomes within included studies. Findings regarding the impact of employment programs on CMD were mixed with two studies reporting significantly positive effects, two reporting no effects, and one reporting mixed effects. The quality among included studies was good overall with some concerns regarding internal validity. CONCLUSION Employment programs may support a decrease in the prevalence, incidence, and severity of CMDs. However, there is high heterogeneity among study effects, designs, and contexts. More research is needed to gain further insight into the nature of this association and the mechanisms of impact. This review highlights the potential for employment programs and other poverty-reduction interventions to be utilized and integrated into the wider care, prevention, and treatment of common-mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libby Evans
- Department of Health Services Research
and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
| | - Crick Lund
- Centre for Global Mental Health, Health
Services and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King’s College London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental
Health, Alan J. Fisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town,
South Africa
| | - Alessandro Massazza
- Department of Health Services Research
and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
| | - Hannah Weir
- Department of Health Services Research
and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
| | - Daniela C Fuhr
- Department of Health Services Research
and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
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Ali MK, Flacking R, Sulaiman M, Osman F. Effects of Nutrition Counselling and Unconditional Cash Transfer on Child Growth and Family Food Security in Internally Displaced Person Camps in Somalia-A Quasi-Experimental Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13441. [PMID: 36294019 PMCID: PMC9603782 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The effects of nutrition counselling (NC) and unconditional cash transfer (UCT) in improving growth in children under five and household food security are poorly understood in humanitarian settings. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of NC and NC combined with unconditional cash transfer (NC + UCT) on children's growth and food security in Somalia. The study was performed with a quasi-experimental design in two districts in the Banadir region of Somalia. Caregivers (n = 255) with mildly to moderately malnourished children aged 6 to 59 months old (n = 184) were randomized to the NC, NC + UCT and control groups. The interventions consisted of weekly NC for three months alone or in combination with UCT. The outcome variables were wasting, underweight, stunting, and food security. Difference-indifferences analysis was used to estimate the effect of the interventions. Our study did not find any significant impacts of NC or NC + UCT on child wasting, underweight, stunting, food security or household expenses. In conclusion, NC, alone or in combination with UCT, did not impact children's growth or household food security. Thus, a culturally tailored NC programme over a longer period, supplemented with cash transfer, could be beneficial to consider when designing interventions to reduce malnutrition and food insecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Kalid Ali
- School of Health and Welfare, Dalarna University, 79182 Falun, Sweden
- Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Somalia Country Office, Nairobi P.O. Box 30470-00100, Kenya
| | - Renée Flacking
- School of Health and Welfare, Dalarna University, 79182 Falun, Sweden
| | - Munshi Sulaiman
- BRAC International, Clock Tower, Kampala P.O. Box 31817, Uganda
| | - Fatumo Osman
- School of Health and Welfare, Dalarna University, 79182 Falun, Sweden
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Hernández-Vásquez A, Azañedo D, Vargas-Fernández R, Basualdo-Meléndez GW, Barón-Lozada FA, Comandé D. Impact of Cash Transfers on the Use of Oral Health Services and Oral Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent 2022; 12:323-339. [PMID: 35966906 PMCID: PMC9369780 DOI: 10.4103/jispcd.jispcd_12_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of the present study was to summarize the evidence available on the impact of cash transfers on the use of oral health services and oral health outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS 9 databases were searched for studies on cash transfers and oral health: PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EconLit, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS. We conducted a systematic review of studies that evaluated the impact of cash transfers on the use of oral health services and other oral health outcomes. RESULTS Three studies with more than 13,000 participants conducted in Brazil and Argentina were included. One study from Brazil found that participants in the Bolsa Familia Program (BFP) were more likely not to use oral health services (aPR: 6.18; 95% CI: 3.07-12.45; P < 0.001) and had a higher probability of presenting dental caries (aPR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.47-2.69) and severe caries (aRR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.18-2.00). Another study conducted in Brazil found that the BFP was associated with fewer dental caries among those enrolled in the first 2 years of the BFP as well as after six years. On the other hand, the Argentina study found that the Universal Child Allowance program did not have a statistically significant average treatment effect (ATE = -0.05; P > 0.05) on the use of dental health services. CONCLUSION There is a lack of evidence about the impact of CT on the use of oral health services and oral health outcomes. The evidence suggests that cash transfers might not have a positive impact on the use of oral health services. The results regarding the impact of receiving cash transfers on dental caries are contradictory. However, more evidence is needed to draw stronger conclusions for policy taking. REGISTRATION The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021268234).
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Affiliation(s)
- Akram Hernández-Vásquez
- Centro de Excelencia en Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales en Salud, Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Peru
| | - Diego Azañedo
- Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Peru,Address for correspondence: Mr. Diego Azañedo, Universidad Científica del Sur, Panamericana Sur Km 19, Lima, Peru. E-mail:
| | | | | | | | - Daniel Comandé
- Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Perera C, Bakrania S, Ipince A, Nesbitt‐Ahmed Z, Obasola O, Richardson D, Van de Scheur J, Yu R. Impact of social protection on gender equality in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review of reviews. CAMPBELL SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS 2022; 18:e1240. [PMID: 36913187 PMCID: PMC9133545 DOI: 10.1002/cl2.1240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Background More than half of the global population is not effectively covered by any type of social protection benefit and women's coverage lags behind. Most girls and boys living in low-resource settings have no effective social protection coverage. Interest in these essential programmes in low and middle-income settings is rising and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic the value of social protection for all has been undoubtedly confirmed. However, evidence on whether the impact of different social protection programmes (social assistance, social insurance and social care services and labour market programmes) differs by gender has not been consistently analysed. Evidence is needed on the structural and contextual factors that determine differential impacts. Questions remain as to whether programme outcomes vary according to intervention implementation and design. Objectives This systematic review aims to collect, appraise, and synthesise the evidence from available systematic reviews on the differential gender impacts of social protection programmes in low and middle-income countries. It answers the following questions: 1.What is known from systematic reviews on the gender-differentiated impacts of social protection programmes in low and middle-income countries?2.What is known from systematic reviews about the factors that determine these gender-differentiated impacts?3.What is known from existing systematic reviews about design and implementation features of social protection programmes and their association with gender outcomes? Search Methods We searched for published and grey literature from 19 bibliographic databases and libraries. The search techniques used were subject searching, reference list checking, citation searching and expert consultations. All searches were conducted between 10 February and 1 March 2021 to retrieve systematic reviews published within the last 10 years with no language restrictions. Selection Criteria We included systematic reviews that synthesised evidence from qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods studies and analysed the outcomes of social protection programmes on women, men, girls, and boys with no age restrictions. The reviews included investigated one or more types of social protection programmes in low and middle-income countries. We included systematic reviews that investigated the effects of social protection interventions on any outcomes within any of the following six core outcome areas of gender equality: economic security and empowerment, health, education, mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, safety and protection and voice and agency. Data Collection and Analysis A total of 6265 records were identified. After removing duplicates, 5250 records were screened independently and simultaneously by two reviewers based on title and abstract and 298 full texts were assessed for eligibility. Another 48 records, identified through the initial scoping exercise, consultations with experts and citation searching, were also screened. The review includes 70 high to moderate quality systematic reviews, representing a total of 3289 studies from 121 countries. We extracted data on the following areas of interest: population, intervention, methodology, quality appraisal, and findings for each research question. We also extracted the pooled effect sizes of gender equality outcomes of meta-analyses. The methodological quality of the included systematic reviews was assessed, and framework synthesis was used as the synthesis method. To estimate the degree of overlap, we created citation matrices and calculated the corrected covered area. Main Results Most reviews examined more than one type of social protection programme. The majority investigated social assistance programmes (77%, N = 54), 40% (N = 28) examined labour market programmes, 11% (N = 8) focused on social insurance interventions and 9% (N = 6) analysed social care interventions. Health was the most researched (e.g., maternal health; 70%, N = 49) outcome area, followed by economic security and empowerment (e.g., savings; 39%, N = 27) and education (e.g., school enrolment and attendance; 24%, N = 17). Five key findings were consistent across intervention and outcomes areas: (1) Although pre-existing gender differences should be considered, social protection programmes tend to report higher impacts on women and girls in comparison to men and boys; (2) Women are more likely to save, invest and share the benefits of social protection but lack of family support is a key barrier to their participation and retention in programmes; (3) Social protection programmes with explicit objectives tend to demonstrate higher effects in comparison to social protection programmes without broad objectives; (4) While no reviews point to negative impacts of social protection programmes on women or men, adverse and unintended outcomes have been attributed to design and implementation features. However, there are no one-size-fits-all approaches to design and implementation of social protection programmes and these features need to be gender-responsive and adapted; and (5) Direct investment in individuals and families' needs to be accompanied by efforts to strengthen health, education, and child protection systems. Social assistance programmes may increase labour participation, savings, investments, the utilisation of health care services and contraception use among women, school enrolment among boys and girls and school attendance among girls. They reduce unintended pregnancies among young women, risky sexual behaviour, and symptoms of sexually transmitted infections among women. Social insurance programmes increase the utilisation of sexual, reproductive, and maternal health services, and knowledge of reproductive health; improve changes in attitudes towards family planning; increase rates of inclusive and early initiation of breastfeeding and decrease poor physical wellbeing among mothers. Labour market programmes increase labour participation among women receiving benefits, savings, ownership of assets, and earning capacity among young women. They improve knowledge and attitudes towards sexually transmitted infections, increase self-reported condom use among boys and girls, increase child nutrition and overall household dietary intake, improve subjective wellbeing among women. Evidence on the impact of social care programmes on gender equality outcomes is needed. Authors' Conclusions Although effectiveness gaps remain, current programmatic interests are not matched by a rigorous evidence base demonstrating how to appropriately design and implement social protection interventions. Advancing current knowledge of gender-responsive social protection entails moving beyond effectiveness studies to test packages or combinations of design and implementation features that determine the impact of these interventions on gender equality. Systematic reviews investigating the impact of social care programmes, old age pensions and parental leave on gender equality outcomes in low and middle-income settings are needed. Voice and agency and mental health and psychosocial wellbeing remain under-researched gender equality outcome areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ruichuan Yu
- UNICEF Office of Research—InnocentiFlorenceItaly
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Novignon J, Prencipe L, Molotsky A, Valli E, de Groot R, Adamba C, Palermo T. The impact of unconditional cash transfers on morbidity and health-seeking behaviour in Africa: evidence from Ghana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Health Policy Plan 2022; 37:607-623. [PMID: 35157775 PMCID: PMC9113146 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Unconditional cash transfers have demonstrated widespread, positive impacts on consumption, food security, productive activities and schooling. However, the evidence to date on cash transfers and health-seeking behaviours and morbidity is not only mixed, but the evidence base is biased towards conditional programmes from Latin America and is more limited in the context of Africa. Given contextual and programmatic design differences between the regions, more evidence from Africa is warranted. We investigate the impact of unconditional cash transfers on morbidity and health-seeking behaviour using data from experimental and quasi-experimental study designs of five government cash transfer programs in Ghana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Programme impacts were estimated using difference-in-differences models with longitudinal data. The results indicate positive programme impacts on health seeking when ill and on health expenditures. Our findings suggest that while unconditional cash transfers can improve health seeking when ill, morbidity impacts were mixed. More research is needed on longer-term impacts, mechanisms of impact and moderating factors. Additionally, taken together with existing evidence, our findings suggest that when summarizing the impacts of cash transfers on health, findings from conditional and unconditional programmes should be disaggregated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Novignon
- Department of Economics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Leah Prencipe
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3000 CA, The Netherlands
| | - Adria Molotsky
- American Institutes for Research, International Development Division, 1400 Crystal Drive, 10th Floor Arlington, VA 22202, USA
| | - Elsa Valli
- UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, Via degli Alfani 58, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Richard de Groot
- Independent Consultant, Josef Israelshof 23, Oosterhout 4907 PT, The Netherlands
| | - Clement Adamba
- Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana-Legon, P.O. Box LG 74, Legon-Accra, Ghana
| | - Tia Palermo
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, State University of New York at Buffalo, 270 Farber Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214-800, USA
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Pega F, Pabayo R, Benny C, Lee EY, Lhachimi SK, Liu SY. Unconditional cash transfers for reducing poverty and vulnerabilities: effect on use of health services and health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2022; 3:CD011135. [PMID: 35348196 PMCID: PMC8962215 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd011135.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs; provided without obligation) for reducing poverty and vulnerabilities (e.g. orphanhood, old age, or HIV infection) are a social protection intervention addressing a key social determinant of health (income) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The relative effectiveness of UCTs compared with conditional cash transfers (CCTs; provided only if recipients follow prescribed behaviours, e.g. use a health service or attend school) is unknown. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of UCTs on health services use and health outcomes in children and adults in LMICs. Secondary objectives are to assess the effects of UCTs on social determinants of health and healthcare expenditure, and to compare the effects of UCTs versus CCTs. SEARCH METHODS For this update, we searched 15 electronic academic databases, including CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EconLit, in September 2021. We also searched four electronic grey literature databases, websites of key organisations and reference lists of previous systematic reviews, key journals and included study records. SELECTION CRITERIA We included both parallel-group and cluster-randomised controlled trials (C-RCTs), quasi-RCTs, cohort studies, controlled before-and-after studies (CBAs), and interrupted time series studies of UCT interventions in children (0 to 17 years) and adults (≥ 18 years) in LMICs. Comparison groups received either no UCT, a smaller UCT or a CCT. Our primary outcomes were any health services use or health outcome. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently screened potentially relevant records for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. We obtained missing data from study authors if feasible. For C-RCTs, we generally calculated risk ratios for dichotomous outcomes from crude frequency measures in approximately correct analyses. Meta-analyses applied the inverse variance or Mantel-Haenszel method using a random-effects model. Where meta-analysis was impossible, we synthesised results using vote counting based on effect direction. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using GRADE. MAIN RESULTS We included 34 studies (25 studies of 20 C-RCTs, six CBAs, and three cohort studies) involving 1,140,385 participants (45,538 children, 1,094,847 adults) and 50,095 households in Africa, the Americas and South-East Asia in our meta-analyses and narrative syntheses. These analysed 29 independent data sets. The 24 UCTs identified, including one basic universal income intervention, were pilot or established government programmes or research experiments. The cash value was equivalent to 1.3% to 81.9% of the annualised gross domestic product per capita. All studies compared a UCT with no UCT; three studies also compared a UCT with a CCT. Most studies carried an overall high risk of bias (i.e. often selection or performance bias, or both). Most studies were funded by national governments or international organisations, or both. Throughout the review, we use the words 'probably' to indicate moderate-certainty evidence, 'may/maybe' for low-certainty evidence, and 'uncertain' for very low-certainty evidence. Health services use We assumed greater use of any health services to be beneficial. UCTs may not have impacted the likelihood of having used any health service in the previous 1 to 12 months, when participants were followed up between 12 and 24 months into the intervention (risk ratio (RR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00 to 1.09; I2 = 2%; 5 C-RCTs, 4972 participants; low-certainty evidence). Health outcomes At one to two years, UCTs probably led to a clinically meaningful, very large reduction in the likelihood of having had any illness in the previous two weeks to three months (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.92; I2 = 53%; 6 C-RCTs, 9367 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). UCTs may have increased the likelihood of having been food secure over the previous month, at 13 to 36 months into the intervention (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.45; I2 = 85%; 5 C-RCTs, 2687 participants; low-certainty evidence). UCTs may have increased participants' level of dietary diversity over the previous week, when assessed with the Household Dietary Diversity Score and followed up 24 months into the intervention (mean difference (MD) 0.59 food categories, 95% CI 0.18 to 1.01; I2 = 79%; 4 C-RCTs, 9347 participants; low-certainty evidence). Despite several studies providing relevant evidence, the effects of UCTs on the likelihood of being moderately stunted and on the level of depression remain uncertain. We found no study on the effect of UCTs on mortality risk. Social determinants of health UCTs probably led to a clinically meaningful, moderate increase in the likelihood of currently attending school, when assessed at 12 to 24 months into the intervention (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.09; I2 = 0%; 8 C-RCTs, 7136 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). UCTs may have reduced the likelihood of households being extremely poor, at 12 to 36 months into the intervention (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.97; I2 = 63%; 6 C-RCTs, 3805 participants; low-certainty evidence). The evidence was uncertain for whether UCTs impacted livestock ownership, participation in labour, and parenting quality. Healthcare expenditure Evidence from eight cluster-RCTs on healthcare expenditure was too inconsistent to be combined in a meta-analysis, but it suggested that UCTs may have increased the amount of money spent on health care at 7 to 36 months into the intervention (low-certainty evidence). Equity, harms and comparison with CCTs The effects of UCTs on health equity (or unfair and remedial health inequalities) were very uncertain. We did not identify any harms from UCTs. Three cluster-RCTs compared UCTs versus CCTs with regard to the likelihood of having used any health services or had any illness, or the level of dietary diversity, but evidence was limited to one study per outcome and was very uncertain for all three. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS This body of evidence suggests that unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) may not impact a summary measure of health service use in children and adults in LMICs. However, UCTs probably or may improve some health outcomes (i.e. the likelihood of having had any illness, the likelihood of having been food secure, and the level of dietary diversity), two social determinants of health (i.e. the likelihoods of attending school and being extremely poor), and healthcare expenditure. The evidence on the relative effectiveness of UCTs and CCTs remains very uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Pega
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Roman Pabayo
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Claire Benny
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Eun-Young Lee
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Stefan K Lhachimi
- Research Group for Evidence-Based Public Health, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Sze Yan Liu
- Public Health, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, USA
- Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
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12
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Quizhpe E, Teran E, Pulkki-Brännström AM, San Sebastián M. Social inequalities in healthcare utilization during Ecuadorian healthcare reform (2007-2017): a before-and-after cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:499. [PMID: 35287629 PMCID: PMC8922889 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12884-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited research is available about the impact of healthcare reforms on healthcare utilization according to socioeconomic group. Although most health reforms in Latin America have focused on reducing the gap between the most advantaged and disadvantaged groups and improving the quality of health services, the available information has shown limited progress. Therefore, this study assessed whether the recent Ecuadorian healthcare reform (2007-2017) contributed to decreasing the socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare utilization. METHODS We used data from the National Living Standards Measurement surveys conducted in 2006 and 2014. Unmet healthcare needs (UHCN) were used as the dependent variable and proxy for difficulties in accessing health services. Place of residence, ethnicity, education and wealth were selected as indicators of socioeconomic status. The slope and relative inequality indexes were calculated for adult men and women for each period and socioeconomic variable. A multiplicative interaction term between midpoint scores and time was applied to estimate changes in inequalities over time. Sample weights were applied to all analyses, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess statistical significance in the regression analysis. RESULTS In 2006, the poor, Indigenous, those living in rural areas and with low education had lower access to health services. In 2014, the overall prevalence of UHCN decreased from 27 to 18% and was higher in women than men. Statistically significant reductions of refraining were observed in absolute and relative terms in all social groups, both in men and women. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed remarkable and significant decreases in inequalities in all examined socioeconomic groups in absolute and relative terms in this period. Although a new model of healthcare was established to achieve universal health coverage, its performance must be continuously evaluated and monitored with specific indicators. Further studies are also needed to identify the main barriers that contribute to UHCN among socially disadvantaged groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edy Quizhpe
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. .,Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud, Quito, Ecuador.
| | - Enrique Teran
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud, Quito, Ecuador
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13
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Ramponi F, Nkhoma D, Griffin S. Informing decisions with disparate stakeholders: cross-sector evaluation of cash transfers in Malawi. Health Policy Plan 2022; 37:140-151. [PMID: 34791229 PMCID: PMC8757493 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czab137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) in Malawi is a cross-sectoral policy with impacts on health, education, nutrition, agriculture and welfare. Implementation of the SCTP requires collaboration across sectors and across national and international stakeholders. Economic evaluation can inform investment by indicating whether benefits exceed costs, but economic evaluations that provide an overall benefit-cost ratio typically assume a common agreed objective and agreed set of value judgements. In reality, the various stakeholders involved in the delivery of the SCTP may have different remits and objectives and may differ in how they value the impacts of the programme. We use the SCTP as a case study to illustrate a cross-sectoral analytical framework that accounts for these differences. The stakeholders that contribute to the SCTP include the Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economic Planning and Development and Global Fund. We estimate how the SCTP changes outcomes in education, health, net production and poverty, and distinguish outcomes in three groups: SCTP recipients; population in Malawi not eligible for the SCTP and population in other countries. After estimating the direct effects and opportunity costs from investing in the SCTP, we summarize the results according to different perspectives. The SCTP is estimated to provide benefits in excess of costs from the perspective of national stakeholders. From the perspective of an international donor interested in health outcomes, its health benefits do not outweigh the opportunity costs unless health improvement in SCTP recipients is valued at 18 times that of other potential spending beneficiaries or the donor values broader outcomes than health alone. This work illustrates the potential of a cross-sectoral economic evaluation to guide debate about stakeholder contributions to the SCTP, and the value judgements required to favour the SCTP above other policy options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ramponi
- Centre for Health Economics, Alcuin A Block, University of York Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona Carrer Rosselló 132, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dominic Nkhoma
- Health Economics and Policy Unit, College of Medicine, Lilongwe Campus, University of Malawi, P. O. Box 3055, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
| | - Susan Griffin
- Centre for Health Economics, Alcuin A Block, University of York Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
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14
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Persaud N, Thorpe KE, Bedard M, Hwang SW, Pinto A, Jüni P, da Costa BR. Cash transfer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Fam Med Community Health 2021; 9:fmch-2021-001452. [PMID: 34924360 PMCID: PMC8662581 DOI: 10.1136/fmch-2021-001452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate the effect of a one-time cash transfer of $C1000 in people who are unable to physically distance due to insufficient income. Design Open-label, multi-centre, randomised superiority trial. Setting Seven primary care sites in Ontario, Canada; six urban sites associated with St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and one in Manitoulin Island. Participants 392 individuals who reported trouble affording basic necessities due to disruptions related to COVID-19. Intervention After random allocation, participants either received the cash transfer of $C1000 (n=196) or physical distancing guidelines alone (n=196). Main outcome measures The primary outcome was the maximum number of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 over 14 days. Secondary outcomes were meeting clinical criteria for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 presence, number of close contacts, general health and ability to afford basic necessities. Results The primary outcome of number of symptoms reported by participants did not differ between groups after 2 weeks (cash transfer, mean 1.6 vs 1.9, ratio of means 0.83; 95% CI 0.56 to 1.24). There were no statistically significant effects on secondary outcomes of the meeting COVID-19 clinical criteria (7.9% vs 12.8%; risk difference −0.05; 95% CI −0.11 to 0.01), SARS-CoV-2 presence (0.5% vs 0.6%; risk difference 0.00 95% CI −0.02 to 0.02), mean number of close contacts (3.5 vs 3.7; rate ratio 1.10; 95% CI 0.83 to 1.46), general health very good or excellent (60% vs 63%; risk difference −0.03 95% CI −0.14 to 0.08) and ability to make ends meet (52% vs 51%; risk difference 0.01 95% CI −0.10 to 0.12). Conclusions A single cash transfer did not reduce the COVID-19 symptoms or improve the ability to afford necessities. Further studies are needed to determine whether some groups may benefit from financial supports and to determine if a higher level of support is beneficial. Trial registration number NCT04359264.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navindra Persaud
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada .,MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Family and Community Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kevin E Thorpe
- Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Applied Health Research Centre, Unity Health Toronto, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Bedard
- Department of Family Medicine, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen W Hwang
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Pinto
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter Jüni
- Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Applied Health Research Centre, Unity Health Toronto, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bruno R da Costa
- Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Applied Health Research Centre, Unity Health Toronto, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Toronto, Switzerland
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15
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Persaud N, Woods H, Workentin A, Adekoya I, Dunn JR, Hwang SW, Maguire J, Pinto AD, O'Campo P, Rourke SB, Werb D. Recommendations for equitable COVID-19 pandemic recovery in Canada. CMAJ 2021; 193:E1878-E1888. [PMID: 37578741 PMCID: PMC8677581 DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.210904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nav Persaud
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
| | - Hannah Woods
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Aine Workentin
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Itunu Adekoya
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - James R Dunn
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Stephen W Hwang
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Jonathon Maguire
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Andrew D Pinto
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Patricia O'Campo
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Sean B Rourke
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Daniel Werb
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Persaud, Wood, Workentin, Adekoya, Dunn, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto, O'Campo, Rourke, Werb), St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Faculty of Medicine (Persaud, Hwang, Maguire, Pinto), and Department of Psychiatry (Rourke), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
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16
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Teixeira LR, Pega F, de Abreu W, de Almeida MS, de Andrade CAF, Azevedo TM, Dzhambov AM, Hu W, Macedo MRV, Martínez-Silveira MS, Sun X, Zhang M, Zhang S, Correa da Silva DT. The prevalence of occupational exposure to noise: A systematic review and meta-analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 154:106380. [PMID: 33875242 PMCID: PMC8204275 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are developing joint estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury (WHO/ILO Joint Estimates), with contributions from a large network of individual experts. Evidence from mechanistic and human data suggests that occupational exposure to noise may cause cardiovascular disease. In this paper, we present a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of occupational exposure to noise for estimating (if feasible) the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years from cardiovascular disease that are attributable to exposure to this risk factor, for the development of the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. OBJECTIVES We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse estimates of the prevalence of occupational exposure to noise. DATA SOURCES We searched electronic academic databases for potentially relevant records from published and unpublished studies, including Ovid Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and CISDOC. We also searched electronic grey literature databases, Internet search engines, and organizational websites; hand-searched reference list of previous systematic reviews and included study records; and consulted additional experts. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA We included working-age (≥15 years) workers in the formal and informal economies in any WHO Member and/or ILO member State, but excluded children (<15 years) and unpaid domestic workers. We included all study types with an estimate of the prevalence of occupational exposure to noise, categorized into two levels: no (low) occupational exposure to noise (<85dBA) and any (high) occupational exposure to noise (≥85dBA). STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS At least two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts against the eligibility criteria at a first stage and full texts of potentially eligible records at a second stage, followed by extraction of data from qualifying studies. We combined prevalence estimates using random-effect meta-analysis. Two or more review authors assessed the risk of bias and the quality of evidence, using the RoB-SPEO tool and QoE-SPEO approach developed specifically for the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. RESULTS Sixty-five studies (56 cross-sectional studies and nine cohort studies) met the inclusion criteria, comprising 157,370 participants (15,369 females) across 28 countries and all six WHO regions (Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific). For the main analyses, we prioritized the four included studies that surveyed national probability samples of general populations of workers over the 58 studies of workers in industrial sectors and/or occupations with relatively high occupational exposure to noise. The exposure was generally assessed with dosimetry, sound level meter, or official or company records; in the population-based studies, it was assessed with validated questions. Estimates of the prevalence of occupational exposure to noise are presented for all 65 included studies, by country, sex, 5-year age group, industrial sector, and occupation where feasible. The pooled prevalence of any (high) occupational exposure to noise (≥85dBA) among the general population of workers was 0.17 (95% confidence interval 0.16 to 0.19, 4 studies, 108,256 participants, 38 countries, two WHO regions, I2 98%, low quality of evidence). Subgroup analyses showed that pooled prevalence differed substantially by WHO region, sex, industrial sector, and occupation. CONCLUSIONS Our systematic review and meta-analysis found that occupational exposure to noise is prevalent among general populations of workers. The current body of evidence is, however, of low quality, due to serious concerns for risk of bias and indirectness. Producing estimates of occupational exposure to noise nevertheless appears evidence-based, and the pooled effect estimates presented in this systematic review are suitable as input data for the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates (if feasible). Protocol identifier: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.09.040 PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018092272.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliane R Teixeira
- Workers' Health and Human Ecology Research Center, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Frank Pega
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Wagner de Abreu
- Workers' Health and Human Ecology Research Center, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Marcia S de Almeida
- Workers' Health and Human Ecology Research Center, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Carlos A F de Andrade
- Department of Epidemiology and Quantitative Methods in Health, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; School of Medicine, Universidade de Vassouras, Vassouras, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Tatiana M Azevedo
- Workers' State Secretariat of Health, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; State Reference Center in Workers' Health, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Angel M Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Institute for Highway Engineering and Transport Planning, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria.
| | - Weijiang Hu
- National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Marta R V Macedo
- Workers' Health Coordination, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | | | - Xin Sun
- National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Meibian Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Siyu Zhang
- National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Denise T Correa da Silva
- Workers' Health and Human Ecology Research Center, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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17
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Teixeira LR, Pega F, Dzhambov AM, Bortkiewicz A, da Silva DTC, de Andrade CAF, Gadzicka E, Hadkhale K, Iavicoli S, Martínez-Silveira MS, Pawlaczyk-Łuszczyńska M, Rondinone BM, Siedlecka J, Valenti A, Gagliardi D. The effect of occupational exposure to noise on ischaemic heart disease, stroke and hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-Related Burden of Disease and Injury. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 154:106387. [PMID: 33612311 PMCID: PMC8204276 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are developing joint estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury (WHO/ILO Joint Estimates), with contributions from a large number of individual experts. Evidence from mechanistic data suggests that occupational exposure to noise may cause cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this paper, we present a systematic review and meta-analysis of parameters for estimating the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years from CVD that are attributable to occupational exposure to noise, for the development of the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. OBJECTIVES We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse estimates of the effect of any (high) occupational exposure to noise (≥85 dBA), compared with no (low) occupational exposure to noise (<85 dBA), on the prevalence, incidence and mortality of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and hypertension. DATA SOURCES A protocol was developed and published, applying the Navigation Guide as an organizing systematic review framework where feasible. We searched electronic academic databases for potentially relevant records from published and unpublished studies up to 1 April 2019, including International Trials Register, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Lilacs, Scopus, Web of Science, and CISDOC. The MEDLINE and Pubmed searches were updated on 31 January 2020. We also searched grey literature databases, Internet search engines and organizational websites; hand-searched reference lists of previous systematic reviews and included study records; and consulted additional experts. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA We included working-age (≥15 years) workers in the formal and informal economy in any WHO and/or ILO Member State but excluded children (<15 years) and unpaid domestic workers. We included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and other non-randomized intervention studies with an estimate of the effect of any occupational exposure to noise on CVD prevalence, incidence or mortality, compared with the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (<85 dBA). STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS At least two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts against the eligibility criteria at a first stage and full texts of potentially eligible records at a second stage, followed by extraction of data from qualifying studies. We prioritized evidence from cohort studies and combined relative risk estimates using random-effect meta-analysis. To assess the robustness of findings, we conducted sensitivity analyses (leave-one-out meta-analysis and used as alternative fixed effects and inverse-variance heterogeneity estimators). At least two review authors assessed the risk of bias, quality of evidence and strength of evidence, using Navigation Guide tools and approaches adapted to this project. RESULTS Seventeen studies (11 cohort studies, six case-control studies) met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 534,688 participants (39,947 or 7.47% females) in 11 countries in three WHO regions (the Americas, Europe, and the Western Pacific). The exposure was generally assessed with dosimetry, sound level meter and/or official or company records. The outcome was most commonly assessed using health records. We are very uncertain (low quality of evidence) about the effect of occupational exposure to noise (≥85 dBA), compared with no occupational exposure to noise (<85 dBA), on: having IHD (0 studies); acquiring IHD (relative risk (RR) 1.29, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.15 to 1.43, two studies, 11,758 participants, I2 0%); dying from IHD (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.93-1.14, four studies, 198,926 participants, I2 26%); having stroke (0 studies); acquiring stroke (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.82-1.65, two studies, 170,000 participants, I2 0%); dying from stroke (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.93-1.12, three studies, 195,539 participants, I2 0%); having hypertension (0 studies); acquiring hypertension (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.90-1.28, three studies, four estimates, 147,820 participants, I2 52%); and dying from hypertension (0 studies). Data for subgroup analyses were missing. Sensitivity analyses supported the main analyses. CONCLUSIONS For acquiring IHD, we judged the existing body of evidence from human data to provide "limited evidence of harmfulness"; a positive relationship is observed between exposure and outcome where chance, bias, and confounding cannot be ruled out with reasonable confidence. For all other included outcomes, the bodies of evidence were judged as "inadequate evidence of harmfulness". Producing estimates for the burden of CVD attributable to occupational exposure to noise appears to not be evidence-based at this time. PROTOCOL IDENTIFIER 10.1016/j.envint.2018.09.040. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42018092272.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliane R Teixeira
- Workers' Health and Human Ecology Research Center, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Frank Pega
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Angel M Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Institute for Highway Engineering and Transport Planning, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria.
| | - Alicja Bortkiewicz
- Department of Work Physiology and Ergonomics, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Denise T Correa da Silva
- Workers' Health and Human Ecology Research Center, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Carlos A F de Andrade
- Department of Epidemiology and Quantitative Methods in Health, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; School of Medicine, Universidade de Vassouras, Vassouras, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Elzbieta Gadzicka
- Department of Work Physiology and Ergonomics, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Kishor Hadkhale
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Sergio Iavicoli
- Inail, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | | | | | - Bruna M Rondinone
- Inail, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - Jadwiga Siedlecka
- Department of Work Physiology and Ergonomics, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Antonio Valenti
- Inail, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - Diana Gagliardi
- Inail, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
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Gonsamo DD, Lo HHM, Chan KL. The Role of Stomach Infrastructures on Children's Work and Child Labour in Africa: Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:8563. [PMID: 34444309 PMCID: PMC8391661 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Child labour remains a prevalent global concern, and progress toward eradicating harmful children's work appears to have stalled in the African continent and henceforth, integrated social policy intervention is still required to address the problem. Among several forms of social policy interventions, stomach infrastructure (i.e., in-kind and/or cash transfers) have been a key policy approach to support vulnerable families to lighten households' resources burden, which forces them to consider child labour as a coping strategy. There is growing evidence on the impacts of these programs in child labour. However, this evidence is often mixed regarding children's work outcomes, and the existing studies hardly describe such heterogeneous outcomes from the child-sensitive approach. To this end, a systematic literature search was conducted for studies in African countries. From 743 references retrieved in this study, 27 studies were included for the review, and a narrative approach has been employed to analyse extracted evidence. Results from the current study also demonstrate a mixed effect of in-kind and cash transfers for poor households on child labour decisions. Hence, the finding from the current review also demonstrates a reduced participation of children in paid and unpaid work outside the household due to in-kind and cash transfers to poor households, but children's time spent in economic and non-economic household labour and farm and non-farm labour, which are detrimental to child health and schooling, has been reported increasing due to the program interventions. The question remains how these programs can effectively consider child-specific and household-related key characteristics. To this end, a child-sensitive social protection perspective has been applied in this study to explain these mixed outcomes to inform policy design.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ko Ling Chan
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong; (D.D.G.); (H.H.M.L.)
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Bliznashka L, Yousafzai AK, Asheri G, Masanja H, Sudfeld CR. Effects of a community health worker delivered intervention on maternal depressive symptoms in rural Tanzania. Health Policy Plan 2021; 36:473-483. [PMID: 33313814 PMCID: PMC8128007 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czaa170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal depression affects one in four women in sub-Saharan Africa, yet evidence on effective and scalable interventions is limited. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of a community health worker (CHW) delivered home visit responsive stimulation, health and nutrition intervention, and conditional cash transfers (CCTs) for antenatal care and child growth monitoring attendance on maternal depressive symptoms. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial in 12 villages in rural Ifakara, Tanzania (September 2017 to May 2019). Study villages were randomly assigned to one of three arms: (1) CHW, (2) CHW + CCT and (3) Control. Pregnant women and mothers with a child <12 months were enrolled. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed using a Tanzanian-adapted version of the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) after 18 months of follow-up. We used linear mixed-effects models to estimate intervention effects on HSCL-25 scores. Results showed that the CHW intervention significantly reduced HSCL-25 scores as compared with control [unadjusted mean difference (MD) −0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.47, −0.15]. The CHW + CCT intervention also appeared to lower HSCL-25 scores (MD −0.17, 95% CI −0.33, −0.01), but results were not statistically significant. Our findings showed that a low-intensity CHW-delivered home visit responsive stimulation, health and nutrition intervention, which did not explicitly aim to improve mental health, reduced maternal depressive symptoms, though the precise mechanisms of action remain unknown. CCTs for antenatal care and child growth monitoring appeared to provide limited to no additional benefit. Community-based integrated interventions that broadly consider maternal and child health, development and well-being have the potential to promote maternal mental health in rural Tanzania and similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilia Bliznashka
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, 11th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aisha K Yousafzai
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, 11th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Geofrey Asheri
- Ifakara Health Institute, Plot 463, Kiko Avenue Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Honorati Masanja
- Ifakara Health Institute, Plot 463, Kiko Avenue Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Christopher R Sudfeld
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, 11th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, 11th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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20
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Digital and Economic Determinants of Healthcare in the Crisis-Affected Population in Afghanistan: Access to Mobile Phone and Socioeconomic Barriers. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9050506. [PMID: 33925698 PMCID: PMC8145486 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9050506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent progress in Afghanistan’s health system from the support of international donors and NGOs, protracted conflicts combined with a series of natural disasters have continued to present substantial health risks. Extreme poverty has still aggravated social determinants of health and financial barriers to healthcare. Little is known about the context-specific factors influencing access to healthcare in the crisis-affected population. Using a subset of data from ‘Whole of Afghanistan Assessment (WoAA) 2019’, this study analyzed 31,343 households’ data, which was collected between 17 July and 19 September 2019 throughout all 34 provinces in Afghanistan. The outcome measured was access to care in the healthcare facility, and multivariable binary logistic regression models were used to identify the specific factors associated with access to healthcare. Of 31,343 households exposed to complex emergencies in Afghanistan, 10,057 (32.1%) could not access healthcare facilities when one was needed in last three months. The access to healthcare was significantly associated with displacement status, economic factors such as employment status or total monthly income, and the distance to healthcare facilities. Significant increase in healthcare access was associated with factors related to communication and access to information, such as awareness of humanitarian assistance availability and mobile phone with a SIM card, while disability in cognitive function, such as memory or concentration, was associated with poorer healthcare access. Our findings indicate that the crisis-affected population remains vulnerable in access to healthcare, despite the recent improvements in health sectors. Digital determinants, such as access to mobile phone, need to be addressed along with the healthcare barriers related to poverty and household vulnerabilities. The innovative humanitarian financing system using mobile communication and cash transfer programs would be considerable for the conflict-affected but digitally connected population in Afghanistan.
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Zimmerman A, Garman E, Avendano-Pabon M, Araya R, Evans-Lacko S, McDaid D, Park AL, Hessel P, Diaz Y, Matijasevich A, Ziebold C, Bauer A, Paula CS, Lund C. The impact of cash transfers on mental health in children and young people in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:e004661. [PMID: 33906845 PMCID: PMC8088245 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although cash transfer programmes are not explicitly designed to improve mental health, by reducing poverty and improving the life chances of children and young people, they may also improve their mental health. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the evidence on the effectiveness of cash transfers to improve the mental health of children and young people in low-income and middle-income countries. METHODS We searched Pubmed, EBSCOhost, Scientific Electronic Library Online, ISI Web of Science and Social Sciences Citation Index and grey literature (from January 2000 to July 2020) for studies which quantitatively assessed the impact of cash transfers on mental health in young people (aged 0-24 years), using a design that incorporated a control group. We extracted Cohen's d effects size and used a random-effects model for the meta-analysis on studies that measured depressive symptoms, I2 statistic and assessment of study quality. RESULTS We identified 12 116 articles for screening, of which 12 were included in the systematic review (covering 13 interventions) and seven in the meta-analysis assessing impact on depressive symptoms specifically. There was high heterogeneity (I2=95.2) and a high risk of bias (0.38, 95% CIs: -5.08 to 5.85; p=0.86) across studies. Eleven interventions (85%) showed a significant positive impact of cash transfers on at least one mental health outcome in children and young people. However, no study found a positive effect on all mental health outcomes examined, and the meta-analysis showed no impact of cash transfers on depressive symptoms (0.02, 95% CIs: -0.19 to 0.23; p=0.85). CONCLUSION Cash transfers may have positive effects on some mental health outcomes for young people, with no negative effects identified. However, there is high heterogeneity across studies, with some interventions showing no effects. Our review highlights how the effect of cash transfers may vary by social and economic context, culture, design, conditionality and mental health outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Zimmerman
- Health Service & Population Research Department, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
- Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Emily Garman
- Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mauricio Avendano-Pabon
- Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ricardo Araya
- Health Service & Population Research Department, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Sara Evans-Lacko
- Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, Department of Health Policy, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - David McDaid
- Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, Department of Health Policy, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - A-La Park
- Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, Department of Health Policy, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Philipp Hessel
- Escuela de Gobierno Alberto Lleras Camargo, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Yadira Diaz
- Escuela de Gobierno Alberto Lleras Camargo, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Alicia Matijasevich
- Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carola Ziebold
- Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Annette Bauer
- Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, Department of Health Policy, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Cristiane Silvestre Paula
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Distúrbios do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Crick Lund
- Health Service & Population Research Department, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
- Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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McCartney G, Craig N, Myers F, Hearty W, Barclay C. What Are the Implications of Applying Equipoise in Planning Citizens Basic Income Pilots in Scotland? Public Health Ethics 2021; 14:109-116. [PMID: 34234843 PMCID: PMC8254643 DOI: 10.1093/phe/phab001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We have been asked to consider the feasibility of piloting a Citizens’ Basic Income (CBI): a basic, unconditional, universal, individual, regular payment that would replace aspects of social security and be introduced alongside changes to taxes. Piloting and evaluating a CBI as a Cluster Randomized Control Trial (RCT) raises the question of whether intervention and comparison groups would be in equipoise, and thus whether randomization would be ethical. We believe that most researchers would accept that additional income, or reduced conditions on receiving income would be likely to improve health, especially at lower income levels. However, there are genuine uncertainties about the impacts on other outcomes, and CBI as a mechanism of providing income. There is also less consensus amongst civil servants and politicians about the impacts on health, and substantial disagreement about whether these would outweigh other impacts. We believe that an RCT is ethical because of these uncertainties. We also argue that the principle of equipoise should apply to randomized and non-randomized trials; that randomization is a fairer means of allocating to intervention and comparison groups; and that there is an ethical case for experimentation to generate higher-quality evidence for policymaking that may otherwise do harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerry McCartney
- Place and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Scotland, Meridian Court, Scotland
| | - Neil Craig
- Place and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Scotland, Meridian Court, Scotland
| | - Fiona Myers
- Place and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Scotland, Meridian Court, Scotland
| | - Wendy Hearty
- Place and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Scotland, Meridian Court, Scotland and Improvement Service, iHub, Scotland
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Hilton Boon M, Thomson H, Shaw B, Akl EA, Lhachimi SK, López-Alcalde J, Klugar M, Choi L, Saz-Parkinson Z, Mustafa RA, Langendam MW, Crane O, Morgan RL, Rehfuess E, Johnston BC, Chong LY, Guyatt GH, Schünemann HJ, Katikireddi SV. Challenges in applying the GRADE approach in public health guidelines and systematic reviews: a concept article from the GRADE Public Health Group. J Clin Epidemiol 2021; 135:42-53. [PMID: 33476768 PMCID: PMC8352629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE This article explores the need for conceptual advances and practical guidance in the application of the GRADE approach within public health contexts. METHODS We convened an expert workshop and conducted a scoping review to identify challenges experienced by GRADE users in public health contexts. We developed this concept article through thematic analysis and an iterative process of consultation and discussion conducted with members electronically and at three GRADE Working Group meetings. RESULTS Five priority issues can pose challenges for public health guideline developers and systematic reviewers when applying GRADE: (1) incorporating the perspectives of diverse stakeholders; (2) selecting and prioritizing health and "nonhealth" outcomes; (3) interpreting outcomes and identifying a threshold for decision-making; (4) assessing certainty of evidence from diverse sources, including nonrandomized studies; and (5) addressing implications for decision makers, including concerns about conditional recommendations. We illustrate these challenges with examples from public health guidelines and systematic reviews, identifying gaps where conceptual advances may facilitate the consistent application or further development of the methodology and provide solutions. CONCLUSION The GRADE Public Health Group will respond to these challenges with solutions that are coherent with existing guidance and can be consistently implemented across public health decision-making contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Hilton Boon
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Berkeley Square, 99 Berkeley Street, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G3 7HR, UK.
| | - Hilary Thomson
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Berkeley Square, 99 Berkeley Street, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G3 7HR, UK
| | - Beth Shaw
- Center for Evidence-based Policy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201 USA
| | - Elie A Akl
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada; Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Stefan K Lhachimi
- Department for Health Services Research, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, University of Bremen, Grazer Straße 4, 28359 Bremen, Germany; Health Sciences Bremen, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Jesús López-Alcalde
- Department of Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Preventative Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV)-Madrid; Clinical Biostatistics Unit, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS); CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health; Cochrane Associate Centre of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miloslav Klugar
- Faculty of Medicine, Czech National Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare and Knowledge Translation (Cochrane Czech Republic, The Czech Republic Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare; JBI Centre of Excellence, Masaryk University GRADE Centre), Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czechia
| | - Leslie Choi
- The Department of Vector Biology, Partnership for Increasing the Impact of Vector Control, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Reem A Mustafa
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada; Departments of Medicine and Biomedical & Health Informatics, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 66160 USA
| | - Miranda W Langendam
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, University of Amsterdam, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Olivia Crane
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Level 1A, City Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester M1 4BT, UK
| | - Rebecca L Morgan
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Eva Rehfuess
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Pettenkofer School of Public Health, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Lee Yee Chong
- Cochrane Public Health and Health Systems Network, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gordon H Guyatt
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Holger J Schünemann
- Department of Health Research Methods, Michael G DeGroote Cochrane Canada and McMaster GRADE Centres, and WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases, Research Methods and Recommendations, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Berkeley Square, 99 Berkeley Street, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G3 7HR, UK
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Pachito DV, Pega F, Bakusic J, Boonen E, Clays E, Descatha A, Delvaux E, De Bacquer D, Koskenvuo K, Kröger H, Lambrechts MC, Latorraca COC, Li J, Cabrera Martimbianco AL, Riera R, Rugulies R, Sembajwe G, Siegrist J, Sillanmäki L, Sumanen M, Suominen S, Ujita Y, Vandersmissen G, Godderis L. The effect of exposure to long working hours on alcohol consumption, risky drinking and alcohol use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106205. [PMID: 33189992 PMCID: PMC7786792 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are developing Joint Estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury (WHO/ILO Joint Estimates), with contributions from a large network of experts. Evidence from mechanistic data suggests that exposure to long working hours may increase alcohol consumption and cause alcohol use disorder. In this paper, we present a systematic review and meta-analysis of parameters for estimating the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years from alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder that are attributable to exposure to long working hours, for the development of the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. OBJECTIVES We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse estimates of the effect of exposure to long working hours (three categories: 41-48, 49-54 and ≥55 h/week), compared with exposure to standard working hours (35-40 h/week), on alcohol consumption, risky drinking (three outcomes: prevalence, incidence and mortality) and alcohol use disorder (three outcomes: prevalence, incidence and mortality). DATA SOURCES We developed and published a protocol, applying the Navigation Guide as an organizing systematic review framework where feasible. We searched electronic bibliographic databases for potentially relevant records from published and unpublished studies, including the WHO International Clinical Trials Register, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, and CISDOC on 30 June 2018. Searches on PubMed were updated on 18 April 2020. We also searched electronic grey literature databases, Internet search engines and organizational websites; hand-searched reference list of previous systematic reviews and included study records; and consulted additional experts. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA We included working-age (≥15 years) workers in the formal and informal economy in any WHO and/or ILO Member State but excluded children (<15 years) and unpaid domestic workers. We considered for inclusion randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and other non-randomized intervention studies with an estimate of the effect of exposure to long working hours (41-48, 49-54 and ≥55 h/week), compared with exposure to standard working hours (35-40 h/week), on alcohol consumption (in g/week), risky drinking, and alcohol use disorder (prevalence, incidence or mortality). STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS At least two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts against the eligibility criteria at a first stage and full texts of potentially eligible records at a second stage, followed by extraction of data from publications related to qualifying studies. Two or more review authors assessed the risk of bias, quality of evidence and strength of evidence, using Navigation Guide and GRADE tools and approaches adapted to this project. RESULTS Fourteen cohort studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 104,599 participants (52,107 females) in six countries of three WHO regions (Americas, South-East Asia, and Europe). The exposure and outcome were assessed with self-reported measures in most studies. Across included studies, risk of bias was generally probably high, with risk judged high or probably high for detection bias and missing data for alcohol consumption and risky drinking. Compared to working 35-40 h/week, exposure to working 41-48 h/week increased alcohol consumption by 10.4 g/week (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.59-15.20; seven studies; 25,904 participants, I2 71%, low quality evidence). Exposure to working 49-54 h/week increased alcohol consumption by 17.69 g/week (95% confidence interval (CI) 9.16-26.22; seven studies, 19,158 participants, I2 82%, low quality evidence). Exposure to working ≥55 h/week increased alcohol consumption by 16.29 g/week (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.93-24.65; seven studies; 19,692 participants; I2 82%, low quality evidence). We are uncertain about the effect of exposure to working 41-48 h/week, compared with working 35-40 h/week on developing risky drinking (relative risk 1.08; 95% CI 0.86-1.36; 12 studies; I2 52%, low certainty evidence). Working 49-54 h/week did not increase the risk of developing risky drinking (relative risk 1.12; 95% CI 0.90-1.39; 12 studies; 3832 participants; I2 24%, moderate certainty evidence), nor working ≥55 h/week (relative risk 1.11; 95% CI 0.95-1.30; 12 studies; 4525 participants; I2 0%, moderate certainty evidence). Subgroup analyses indicated that age may influence the association between long working hours and both alcohol consumption and risky drinking. We did not identify studies for which we had access to results on alcohol use disorder. CONCLUSIONS Overall, for alcohol consumption in g/week and for risky drinking, we judged this body of evidence to be of low certainty. Exposure to long working hours may have increased alcohol consumption, but we are uncertain about the effect on risky drinking. We found no eligible studies on the effect on alcohol use disorder. Producing estimates for the burden of alcohol use disorder attributable to exposure to long working hours appears to not be evidence-based at this time. PROTOCOL IDENTIFIER: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.07.025. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42018084077.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela V Pachito
- Núcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Rua Barata Ribeiro 142, Bela Vista, São Paulo, Brazil; Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Av. Paulista, 548, Bela Vista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Frank Pega
- Environment, Climate Change and Health Department, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.
| | - Jelena Bakusic
- Centre for Environment and Health of KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35/5, box 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Emma Boonen
- KIR Department (Knowledge, Information & Research), IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Interleuvenlaan 58, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Els Clays
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Campus University Hospital Ghent, Cornel Heymanslaan 10, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Alexis Descatha
- AP-HP (Paris Hospital), Occupational Health Unit, Poincaré University Hospital, Garches, France; Inserm Versailles St-Quentin Univ - Paris Saclay Univ (UVSQ), UMS 011, UMR-S 1168, Villejuif, France; Univ Angers, CHU Angers, Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-49000 Angers, France.
| | - Ellen Delvaux
- KIR Department (Knowledge, Information & Research), IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Interleuvenlaan 58, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; Centre for Social and Cultural Psychology of KU Leuven, Dekenstraat 2, box 3701, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Dirk De Bacquer
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Campus University Hospital Ghent, Cornel Heymanslaan 10, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Karoliina Koskenvuo
- The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, PO Box 450, FIN-00056 Kela, Finland; Department of Public Health, PO BOX 20, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Hannes Kröger
- Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Berlin, Germany.
| | - Marie-Claire Lambrechts
- Centre for Environment and Health of KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35/5, box 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; VAD, Flemish Expertise Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs, Vanderlindenstraat 15, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Carolina O C Latorraca
- Discipline of Evidence-based Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu 740, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.
| | - Ana L Cabrera Martimbianco
- Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, Universidade Metropolitana de Santos (UNIMES), 536 Conselheiro Nébias, Santos, Brazil; Cochrane Brazil, Affiliate Center Rio de Janeiro, 136 Barão do Rio Branco, Petrópolis, Brazil; Centro Universitário São Camilo, 1501 Nazaré, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rachel Riera
- Núcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Rua Barata Ribeiro 142, Bela Vista, São Paulo, Brazil; Discipline of Evidence-based Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu 740, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Oxford-Brazil EBM-Alliance, Brazil
| | - Reiner Rugulies
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, DK-1014 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Grace Sembajwe
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention (OMEP), Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University, 175 Community Drive, NY 11021, United States; CUNY Institute for Implementation Science, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, 55 W 125th Street, New York, NY 10027, United States.
| | - Johannes Siegrist
- Life Science Centre, University of Düsseldorf, Merowingerplatz 1a, D-40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
| | - Lauri Sillanmäki
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Mannerheimintie 172, 00300 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Joukahaisenkatu 3-5, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku Clinical Research Centre, Turku University Hospital, Finland.
| | - Markku Sumanen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Sakari Suominen
- Turku Clinical Research Centre, Turku University Hospital, Finland; University of Skövde, School of Health Sciences, Sweden.
| | - Yuka Ujita
- Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch, International Labour Organization, Route des Morillons 4, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Godelieve Vandersmissen
- KIR Department (Knowledge, Information & Research), IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Interleuvenlaan 58, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Lode Godderis
- Centre for Environment and Health of KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35/5, box 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KIR Department (Knowledge, Information & Research), IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Interleuvenlaan 58, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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SALAMEH P, HAJJ A, BADRO DA, ABOU SELWAN C, AOUN R, SACRE H. Mental Health Outcomes of the COVID-19 Pandemic and a Collapsing Economy: Perspectives from a Developing Country. Psychiatry Res 2020; 294:113520. [PMID: 33142145 PMCID: PMC7577886 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected physical and mental health worldwide, particularly vulnerable populations with lower social and economic status. This study explored the independent and combined effects of the COVID-19 and economy-related variables on stress and anxiety among Lebanese adults in a developing country facing a severe socio-economic crisis and political turmoil. A cross-sectional study was conducted online between May 10 and 20, 2020, using the snowball sampling technique. All individuals over 18 were eligible. The final sample included 502 respondents. Higher stress and anxiety were associated with younger age, female gender, previous higher socio-economic status, having a family member with a chronic disease, fear of not getting access to treatment, fear of COVID-19, and physical violence at home. However, financial wellness and higher family satisfaction were significantly associated with lower stress. The multivariate analysis showed a significant interaction between fear of COVID-19 and financial wellness on estimated marginal means of stress and anxiety. The combined presence of fear of the pandemic and financial hardship is associated with higher stress and anxiety, particularly among women and younger Lebanese adults with difficult home circumstances. Thus, healthcare professionals need to screen for mental health problems among subgroups presenting multiple risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascale SALAMEH
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University. Hadat, Lebanon,Faculty of Medicine, Lebanese University. Hadat, Lebanon,INSPECT-LB : Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban. Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Aline HAJJ
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon,Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Pharmacie Clinique et Contrôle de Qualité des Médicaments, Saint-Joseph University. Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Danielle A BADRO
- INSPECT-LB : Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban. Beirut, Lebanon,Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Science and Technology. Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Carla ABOU SELWAN
- INSPECT-LB : Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban. Beirut, Lebanon,Science PRO, Medical and Marketing Solutions. Jal el Dib, Lebanon,Corresponding author at: Yachoui Center, 11th Floor, Jal el Dib Highway, Lebanon
| | - Randa AOUN
- INSPECT-LB : Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban. Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hala SACRE
- INSPECT-LB : Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban. Beirut, Lebanon
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Saran A, White H, Albright K, Adona J. Mega-map of systematic reviews and evidence and gap maps on the interventions to improve child well-being in low- and middle-income countries. CAMPBELL SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS 2020; 16:e1116. [PMID: 37018457 PMCID: PMC8356294 DOI: 10.1002/cl2.1116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite a considerable reduction in child mortality, nearly six million children under the age of five die each year. Millions more are poorly nourished and in many parts of the world, the quality of education remains poor. Children are at risk from multiple violations of their rights, including child labour, early marriage, and sexual exploitation. Research plays a crucial role in helping to close the remaining gaps in child well-being, yet the global evidence base for interventions to meet these challenges is mostly weak, scattered and often unusable by policymakers and practitioners. This mega-map encourages the generation and use of rigorous evidence on effective ways to improve child well-being for policy and programming. OBJECTIVES The aim of this mega-map is to identify, map and provide an overview of the existing evidence synthesis on the interventions aimed at improving child well-being in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS Campbell evidence and gap maps (EGMs) are based on a review of existing mapping standards (Saran & White, 2018) which drew in particular of the approach developed by 3ie (Snilstveit, Vojtkova, Bhavsar, & Gaarder, 2013). As defined in the Campbell EGM guidance paper; "Mega-map is a map of evidence synthesis, that is, systematic reviews, and does not include primary studies" (Campbell Collaboration, 2020). The mega-map on child well-being includes studies with participants aged 0-18 years, conducted in LMICs, and published from year 2000 onwards. The search followed strict inclusion criteria for interventions and outcomes in the domains of health, education, social work and welfare, social protection, environmental health, water supply and sanitation (WASH) and governance. Critical appraisal of included systematic reviews was conducted using "A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews"-AMSTAR-2 rating scale (Shea, et al., 2017). RESULTS We identified 333 systematic reviews and 23 EGMs. The number of studies being published has increased year-on-year since 2000. However, the distribution of studies across World Bank regions, intervention and outcome categories are uneven. Most systematic reviews examine interventions pertaining to traditional areas of health and education. Systematic reviews in these traditional areas are also the most funded. There is limited evidence in social work and social protection. About 69% (231) of the reviews are assessed to be of low and medium quality. There are evidence gaps with respect to key vulnerable populations, including children with disabilities and those who belong to minority groups. CONCLUSION Although an increasing number of systematic reviews addressing child well-being topics are being published, some clear gaps in the evidence remain in terms of quality of reviews and some interventions and outcome areas. The clear gap is the small number of reviews focusing explicitly on either equity or programmes for disadvantaged groups and those who are discriminated against.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jill Adona
- Philippines Institute of Development StudiesManilaPhilippines
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Pega F, Chartres N, Guha N, Modenese A, Morgan RL, Martínez-Silveira MS, Loomis D. The effect of occupational exposure to welding fumes on trachea, bronchus and lung cancer: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 145:106089. [PMID: 32950789 PMCID: PMC7569600 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are developing joint estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury (WHO/ILO Joint Estimates), with contributions from a large network of experts. Welding fumes have been classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); this assessment found sufficient evidence from studies in humans that welding fumes are a cause of lung cancer. In this article, we present the protocol for a systematic review of parameters for estimating the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years from trachea, bronchus and lung cancer attributable to occupational exposure to welding fumes, to inform the development of the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. OBJECTIVES We aim to systematically review and meta-analyse estimates of the effect of occupational exposure to welding fumes on trachea, bronchus and lung cancer, applying the Navigation Guide systematic review methodology as an organizing framework. DATA SOURCES We will search electronic bibliographic databases for potentially relevant records from published and unpublished studies, including Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CISDOC. We will also search electronic grey literature databases, Internet search engines and organizational websites; hand search reference list of previous systematic reviews and included study records; and consult additional experts. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA We will include working-age (≥15 years) workers in the formal and informal economy in any Member State of WHO and/or ILO but exclude children (<15 years) and unpaid domestic workers. The eligible risk factor will be occupational exposure to welding fumes, measured directly or indirectly (i.e., through proxy of relevant occupation, work task, job-exposure matrix, expert judgment or self-report). The eligible outcomes will be trachea, bronchus and lung cancer. We will include randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and other non-randomized intervention studies with an estimate of the relative effect of any occupational exposure to welding fumes on the prevalence of, incidence of or mortality from trachea, bronchus and lung cancer, compared with the theoretical minimum risk exposure level of no occupational exposure to welding fumes. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS At least two review authors will independently screen titles and abstracts against the eligibility criteria at a first stage and full texts of potentially eligible records at a second stage, followed by extraction of data from qualifying studies. Two or more review authors will assess risk of bias and the quality of evidence, using the Navigation Guide tool or approach. If feasible, we will combine relative risks using meta-analysis. We will report results using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines (PRISMA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Pega
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Nicholas Chartres
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Neela Guha
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Alberto Modenese
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Rebecca L Morgan
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | | | - Dana Loomis
- School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
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Chen S, Chen X, Law S, Lucas H, Tang S, Long Q, Xue L, Wang Z. How and to what extent can pensions facilitate increased use of health services by older people: evidence from social pension expansion in rural China. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:1008. [PMID: 33148248 PMCID: PMC7640495 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05831-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The proportion of people aged 60 years or over is growing faster than other age groups. Traditionally, retirement has been considered as both a loss to the labour market and an additional economic burden on the nation. More recently, it is widely accepted that retired people can still contribute to society in many ways, though the extent of their contributions will depend heavily on their state of health. In this context, a significant practical issue is how to encourage older people to use the health services they need. This study aims to evaluate the effects of pensions on older adults' health service utilization, and estimate the level of pension required to influence such utilization. METHODS Using data from a nationally representative sample survey, the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we adopted a fuzzy regression discontinuity design and undertook segmented regression analysis. RESULTS It was found that a pension did encourage low-income people to use both outpatient (OR = 1.219, 95% 1.018-1.460) and inpatient services (OR = 1.269, 95% 1.020-1.579); but also encouraged both low- and high-income people to choose self-treatment, specifically over-the-counter (OR = 1.208, 95% 1.037-1.407; OR = 1.206, 95% 1.024-1.419; respectively) and traditional Chinese medicines (OR = 1.452, 95% 1.094-1.932; OR = 1.456, 95% 1.079-1.955; respectively). However, receiving a pension had no effect on the frequency of outpatient and inpatient service use. Breakpoints for a pension to promote health service utilization were mainly located in the range 55-95 CNY (7.1-12.3 EUR or 8.0-13.8 USD). CONCLUSIONS A pension was found to have mixed effects on health service utilization for different income groups. Our study enriches existing evidence on the impact of pensions on healthcare-seeking behaviour and can be helpful in policy design and the formulation of improved models relating to pensions and healthcare utilisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanquan Chen
- The School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Stephen Law
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Henry Lucas
- Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Shenlan Tang
- Department of Population Health Science, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Qian Long
- Global Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lei Xue
- Institute for Hospital Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, China. .,Research Center for Healthcare Management, School of Economic and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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Laurenzi C, Field S, Honikman S. Food Insecurity, Maternal Mental Health, and Domestic Violence: A Call for a Syndemic Approach to Research and Interventions. Matern Child Health J 2020; 24:401-404. [PMID: 32009230 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-019-02872-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Food security is a prerequisite for achieving optimal health, and mothers and children living in food insecure households face barriers to physical and mental health and healthy development. Mothers in food insecure households often also experience poor mental health and domestic violence. Although associations between these domains have been explored, little research exists about the intersection of these three phenomena. METHODS In this commentary, we briefly identify existing, relevant research that investigates the relationships between and among food insecurity, maternal mental health, and domestic violence. RESULTS A substantial body of evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies has demonstrated significant relationships and pathways between these co-morbidities, with bi-directional associations between food insecurity and poor mental health, domestic violence and poor mental health, and cumulative risks attributed to more severe symptoms and exposures. However, there is limited evidence about interventions that target these three areas concurrently. More specifically, there are few sustained, multi-disciplinary efforts that tackle these issues in a broad, cross-cutting way. DISCUSSION In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, we suggest the adoption of an interdisciplinary approach to address more effectively the needs of the most vulnerable mothers who rest at the intersection of these issues. We identify three avenues for further research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Laurenzi
- Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa.
| | - Sally Field
- Perinatal Mental Health Project, Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Simone Honikman
- Perinatal Mental Health Project, Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
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Koyama Y, Fujiwara T, Isumi A, Doi S. Is Japan's child allowance effective for the well-being of children? A statistical evaluation using data from K-CHILD study. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:1503. [PMID: 33023534 PMCID: PMC7542372 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09367-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Child allowance payment is one form of social security policy that aims to mitigate the child poverty gap by providing financial support to families. This study aimed to explore the impact of the child allowance on children’s physical and mental health (BMI, problem behavior, depression, and self-rated health), and parental investment in child health (children’s material goods, family events, extracurricular activities, interaction with children, and involvement in child maltreatment). Methods We used cross-sectional data from the 2016 Kochi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (K-CHILD) study. Participants were 1st, 5th and 8th grade children living in Kochi prefecture in Japan (N = 8207). Caregivers reported children’s child allowance status, BMI and behavior problems, while children filled out a self-assessment on depression and health condition. Propensity score matching analysis regarding potential confounders was used. Results We found that children in families that received child allowance showed a smaller total difficulties score by 1.29 points (95% CI: − 2.32 to − 0.25) and a lower risk of overweight (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.91) although there is no association with underweight, prosocial behavior, depressive symptoms and self-rated health. Parental investment did not differ by child allowance status (p > 0.05). Conclusions Child allowance was found to be potentially beneficial in decreasing behavior problems and reducing child overweight. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate how child allowance is used by family members and associated with children’s well-being. (230/350 words)
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuna Koyama
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Takeo Fujiwara
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
| | - Aya Isumi
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Satomi Doi
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
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Sherr L, Roberts KJ, Mebrahtu H, Tomlinson M, Skeen S, Cluver LD. The food of life: an evaluation of the impact of cash grant receipt and good parenting on child nutrition outcomes in South Africa and Malawi. Glob Health Promot 2020; 27:131-140. [PMID: 32993452 PMCID: PMC7750666 DOI: 10.1177/1757975920957598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Social protection interventions (inclusive of cash grant receipt and care
provision) have been found to be effective in response to some of the negative
implications of the HIV epidemic on children and families. This study explores
the impact of cash grant receipt and care provision (operationalised as good
parenting) on child nutritional outcomes. In this cross-sectional study, 854
children and younger adolescents (5–15 years) and caregivers affected by HIV,
attending community-based organisations in South Africa and Malawi, were
interviewed. Interviews comprised inventories on socio-demographic information,
family data, cash grant receipt and child nutrition. Parenting was measured
using a composite scale. Logistic regression and marginal effects analyses were
used to explore the associations between differing levels of social protection
(none; either cash or good parenting; cash and good parenting) and child
nutritional outcomes. One hundred and sixty children (20.3%) received neither
cash nor good parenting; 501 (63.5%) received either cash or good parenting and
128 (16.2%) received both cash and good parenting. In comparison to no
intervention, receipt of either cash or good parenting was significantly
associated with child non-stunting, the child having sufficient food, and the
child not looking thin. Three (3/7) nutritional outcomes showed increased
improvement amongst children receiving both cash and good parenting care
including child-reported non-hunger, child non-stunting and parental report of
sufficient food. Marginal effects analyses further identified an additive effect
of cash and good parenting on child nutritional outcomes. This study indicates
that receipt of combined cash and good parenting, when compared to cash grant
receipt alone, has positive effects on nutrition-related child outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorraine Sherr
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Helen Mebrahtu
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Tomlinson
- Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.,School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University, Belfast, UK
| | - Sarah Skeen
- Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Lucie D Cluver
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy & Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Varbanova V, Beutels P. Recent quantitative research on determinants of health in high income countries: A scoping review. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239031. [PMID: 32941493 PMCID: PMC7498048 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Identifying determinants of health and understanding their role in health production constitutes an important research theme. We aimed to document the state of recent multi-country research on this theme in the literature. Methods We followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines to systematically identify, triage and review literature (January 2013—July 2019). We searched for studies that performed cross-national statistical analyses aiming to evaluate the impact of one or more aggregate level determinants on one or more general population health outcomes in high-income countries. To assess in which combinations and to what extent individual (or thematically linked) determinants had been studied together, we performed multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. Results Sixty studies were selected, out of an original yield of 3686. Life-expectancy and overall mortality were the most widely used population health indicators, while determinants came from the areas of healthcare, culture, politics, socio-economics, environment, labor, fertility, demographics, life-style, and psychology. The family of regression models was the predominant statistical approach. Results from our multidimensional scaling showed that a relatively tight core of determinants have received much attention, as main covariates of interest or controls, whereas the majority of other determinants were studied in very limited contexts. We consider findings from these studies regarding the importance of any given health determinant inconclusive at present. Across a multitude of model specifications, different country samples, and varying time periods, effects fluctuated between statistically significant and not significant, and between beneficial and detrimental to health. Conclusions We conclude that efforts to understand the underlying mechanisms of population health are far from settled, and the present state of research on the topic leaves much to be desired. It is essential that future research considers multiple factors simultaneously and takes advantage of more sophisticated methodology with regards to quantifying health as well as analyzing determinants’ influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimira Varbanova
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Philippe Beutels
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Li J, Pega F, Ujita Y, Brisson C, Clays E, Descatha A, Ferrario MM, Godderis L, Iavicoli S, Landsbergis PA, Metzendorf MI, Morgan RL, Pachito DV, Pikhart H, Richter B, Roncaioli M, Rugulies R, Schnall PL, Sembajwe G, Trudel X, Tsutsumi A, Woodruff TJ, Siegrist J. The effect of exposure to long working hours on ischaemic heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 142:105739. [PMID: 32505014 PMCID: PMC7339147 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are developing Joint Estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury (WHO/ILO Joint Estimates), with contributions from a large network of experts. Evidence from mechanistic data suggests that exposure to long working hours may cause ischaemic heart disease (IHD). In this paper, we present a systematic review and meta-analysis of parameters for estimating the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years from IHD that are attributable to exposure to long working hours, for the development of the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. OBJECTIVES We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse estimates of the effect of exposure to long working hours (three categories: 41-48, 49-54 and ≥55 h/week), compared with exposure to standard working hours (35-40 h/week), on IHD (three outcomes: prevalence, incidence and mortality). DATA SOURCES We developed and published a protocol, applying the Navigation Guide as an organizing systematic review framework where feasible. We searched electronic databases for potentially relevant records from published and unpublished studies, including MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CISDOC, PsycINFO, and WHO ICTRP. We also searched grey literature databases, Internet search engines and organizational websites; hand-searched reference lists of previous systematic reviews; and consulted additional experts. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA We included working-age (≥15 years) workers in the formal and informal economy in any WHO and/or ILO Member State but excluded children (aged < 15 years) and unpaid domestic workers. We included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and other non-randomized intervention studies which contained an estimate of the effect of exposure to long working hours (41-48, 49-54 and ≥55 h/week), compared with exposure to standard working hours (35-40 h/week), on IHD (prevalence, incidence or mortality). STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS At least two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts against the eligibility criteria at a first stage and full texts of potentially eligible records at a second stage, followed by extraction of data from qualifying studies. Missing data were requested from principal study authors. We combined relative risks using random-effect meta-analysis. Two or more review authors assessed the risk of bias, quality of evidence and strength of evidence, using Navigation Guide and GRADE tools and approaches adapted to this project. RESULTS Thirty-seven studies (26 prospective cohort studies and 11 case-control studies) met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 768,751 participants (310,954 females) in 13 countries in three WHO regions (Americas, Europe and Western Pacific). The exposure was measured using self-reports in all studies, and the outcome was assessed with administrative health records (30 studies) or self-reported physician diagnosis (7 studies). The outcome was defined as incident non-fatal IHD event in 19 studies (8 cohort studies, 11 case-control studies), incident fatal IHD event in two studies (both cohort studies), and incident non-fatal or fatal ("mixed") event in 16 studies (all cohort studies). Because we judged cohort studies to have a relatively lower risk of bias, we prioritized evidence from these studies and treated evidence from case-control studies as supporting evidence. For the bodies of evidence for both outcomes with any eligible studies (i.e. IHD incidence and mortality), we did not have serious concerns for risk of bias (at least for the cohort studies). No eligible study was found on the effect of long working hours on IHD prevalence. Compared with working 35-40 h/week, we are uncertain about the effect on acquiring (or incidence of) IHD of working 41-48 h/week (relative risk (RR) 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91 to 1.07, 20 studies, 312,209 participants, I2 0%, low quality of evidence) and 49-54 h/week (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.17, 18 studies, 308,405 participants, I2 0%, low quality of evidence). Compared with working 35-40 h/week, working ≥55 h/week may have led to a moderately, clinically meaningful increase in the risk of acquiring IHD, when followed up between one year and 20 years (RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.26, 22 studies, 339,680 participants, I2 5%, moderate quality of evidence). Compared with working 35-40 h/week, we are very uncertain about the effect on dying (mortality) from IHD of working 41-48 h/week (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.12, 13 studies, 288,278 participants, I2 8%, low quality of evidence) and 49-54 h/week (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.25, 11 studies, 284,474 participants, I2 13%, low quality of evidence). Compared with working 35-40 h/week, working ≥55 h/week may have led to a moderate, clinically meaningful increase in the risk of dying from IHD when followed up between eight and 30 years (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.31, 16 studies, 726,803 participants, I2 0%, moderate quality of evidence). Subgroup analyses found no evidence for differences by WHO region and sex, but RRs were higher among persons with lower SES. Sensitivity analyses found no differences by outcome definition (exclusively non-fatal or fatal versus "mixed"), outcome measurement (health records versus self-reports) and risk of bias ("high"/"probably high" ratings in any domain versus "low"/"probably low" in all domains). CONCLUSIONS We judged the existing bodies of evidence for human evidence as "inadequate evidence for harmfulness" for the exposure categories 41-48 and 49-54 h/week for IHD prevalence, incidence and mortality, and for the exposure category ≥55 h/week for IHD prevalence. Evidence on exposure to working ≥55 h/week was judged as "sufficient evidence of harmfulness" for IHD incidence and mortality. Producing estimates for the burden of IHD attributable to exposure to working ≥55 h/week appears evidence-based, and the pooled effect estimates presented in this systematic review could be used as input data for the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Li
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.
| | - Frank Pega
- Environment, Climate Change and Health Department, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.
| | - Yuka Ujita
- Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch, International Labour Organization, Route des Morillons 4, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Chantal Brisson
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, 1050 Chemin Ste-Foy, Quebec City G1S 4L8, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Els Clays
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Campus University Hospital Ghent (4K3 - entrance 42), 4K3, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Alexis Descatha
- AP-HP (Paris Hospital), Occupational Health Unit, Poincaré University Hospital, Garches, France; Inserm Versailles St-Quentin Univ - Paris Saclay Univ (UVSQ), UMS 011, UMR-S 1168, Villejuif, France; Univ Angers, CHU Angers, Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-49000 Angers, France.
| | - Marco M Ferrario
- Research Centre EPIMED, University of Insubria, Via O Rossi 9, 21100 Varese, Italy.
| | - Lode Godderis
- Centre for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KIR Department (Knowledge, Information & Research), IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Sergio Iavicoli
- Inail, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Via Fontana Candida 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone (Rome), Italy.
| | - Paul A Landsbergis
- SUNY-Downstate Health Sciences University, School of Public Health, 450 Clarkson Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238, United States.
| | - Maria-Inti Metzendorf
- Cochrane Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group, Institute of General Practice, Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Rebecca L Morgan
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, Canada.
| | - Daniela V Pachito
- Hospital Sírio-Libanês and Disciplina de Economia e Gestão em Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 412 Barata Ribeiro, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Hynek Pikhart
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
| | - Bernd Richter
- Cochrane Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group, Institute of General Practice, Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Mattia Roncaioli
- Research Centre EPIMED, University of Insubria, Via O Rossi 9, 21100 Varese, Italy.
| | - Reiner Rugulies
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, DK-1014 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Peter L Schnall
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California-Irvine, 100 Theory Way, Irvine, CA, United States.
| | - Grace Sembajwe
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention (OMEP), Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University, 175 Community Drive, NY 11021, United States; Department of Environmental, Occupational, and Geospatial Health Sciences, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, 55 W 125th Street, New York, NY 10027, United States.
| | - Xavier Trudel
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, 1050 Chemin Ste-Foy, Quebec City G1S 4L8, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Akizumi Tsutsumi
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami, Sagamihara 252-0374, Japan.
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.
| | - Johannes Siegrist
- Life Science Centre, University of Düsseldorf, Merowingerplatz 1a, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany.
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Durao S, Visser ME, Ramokolo V, Oliveira JM, Schmidt BM, Balakrishna Y, Brand A, Kristjansson E, Schoonees A. Community-level interventions for improving access to food in low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020; 8:CD011504. [PMID: 32761615 PMCID: PMC8890130 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd011504.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND After decades of decline since 2005, the global prevalence of undernourishment reverted and since 2015 has increased to levels seen in 2010 to 2011. The prevalence is highest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially Africa and Asia. Food insecurity and associated undernutrition detrimentally affect health and socioeconomic development in the short and long term, for individuals, including children, and societies. Physical and economic access to food is crucial to ensure food security. Community-level interventions could be important to increase access to food in LMICs. OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of community-level interventions that aim to improve access to nutritious food in LMICs, for both the whole community and for disadvantaged or at-risk individuals or groups within a community, such as infants, children and women; elderly, poor or unemployed people; or minority groups. SEARCH METHODS We searched for relevant studies in 16 electronic databases, including trial registries, from 1980 to September 2019, and updated the searches in six key databases in February 2020. We applied no language or publication status limits. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster randomised controlled trials (cRCTs) and prospective controlled studies (PCS). All population groups, adults and children, living in communities in LMICs exposed to community-level interventions aiming to improve food access were eligible for inclusion. We excluded studies that only included participants with specific diseases or conditions (e.g. severely malnourished children). Eligible interventions were broadly categorised into those that improved buying power (e.g. create income-generation opportunities, cash transfer schemes); addressed food prices (e.g. vouchers and subsidies); addressed infrastructure and transport that affected physical access to food outlets; addressed the social environment and provided social support (e.g. social support from family, neighbours or government). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, and full texts of potentially eligible records, against the inclusion criteria. Disagreements were resolved through discussion or arbitration by a third author, if necessary. For each included study, two authors independently extracted data and a third author arbitrated disagreements. However, the outcome data were extracted by one author and checked by a biostatistician. We assessed risk of bias for all studies using the Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) risk of bias tool for studies with a separate control group. We conducted meta-analyses if there was a minimum of two studies for interventions within the same category, reporting the same outcome measure and these were sufficiently homogeneous. Where we were able to meta-analyse, we used the random-effects model to incorporate any existing heterogeneity. Where we were unable to conduct meta-analyses, we synthesised using vote counting based on effect direction. MAIN RESULTS We included 59 studies, including 214 to 169,485 participants, and 300 to 124, 644 households, mostly from Africa and Latin America, addressing the following six intervention types (three studies assessed two different types of interventions). Interventions that improved buying power: Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) (16 cRCTs, two RCTs, three PCSs): we found high-certainty evidence that UCTs improve food security and make little or no difference to cognitive function and development and low-certainty evidence that UCTs may increase dietary diversity and may reduce stunting. The evidence was very uncertain about the effects of UCTs on the proportion of household expenditure on food, and on wasting. Regarding adverse outcomes, evidence from one trial indicates that UCTs reduce the proportion of infants who are overweight. Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) (nine cRCTs, five PCSs): we found high-certainty evidence that CCTs result in little to no difference in the proportion of household expenditure on food and that they slightly improve cognitive function in children; moderate-certainty evidence that CCTs probably slightly improve dietary diversity and low-certainty evidence that they may make little to no difference to stunting or wasting. Evidence on adverse outcomes (two PCSs) shows that CCTs make no difference to the proportion of overweight children. Income generation interventions (six cRCTs, 11 PCSs): we found moderate-certainty evidence that income generation interventions probably make little or no difference to stunting or wasting; and low-certainty evidence that they may result in little to no difference to food security or that they may improve dietary diversity in children, but not for households. Interventions that addressed food prices: Food vouchers (three cRCTs, one RCT): we found moderate-certainty evidence that food vouchers probably reduce stunting; and low-certainty evidence that that they may improve dietary diversity slightly, and may result in little to no difference in wasting. Food and nutrition subsidies (one cRCT, three PCSs): we found low-certainty evidence that food and nutrition subsidies may improve dietary diversity among school children. The evidence is very uncertain about the effects on household expenditure on healthy foods as a proportion of total expenditure on food (very low-certainty evidence). Interventions that addressed the social environment: Social support interventions (one cRCT, one PCS): we found moderate-certainty evidence that community grants probably make little or no difference to wasting; low-certainty evidence that they may make little or no difference to stunting. The evidence is very uncertain about the effects of village savings and loans on food security and dietary diversity. None of the included studies addressed the intervention category of infrastructure changes. In addition, none of the studies reported on one of the primary outcomes of this review, namely prevalence of undernourishment. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS The body of evidence indicates that UCTs can improve food security. Income generation interventions do not seem to make a difference for food security, but the evidence is unclear for the other interventions. CCTs, UCTs, interventions that help generate income, interventions that help minimise impact of food prices through food vouchers and subsidies can potentially improve dietary diversity. UCTs and food vouchers may have a potential impact on reducing stunting, but CCTs, income generation interventions or social environment interventions do not seem to make a difference on wasting or stunting. CCTs seem to positively impact cognitive function and development, but not UCTs, which may be due to school attendance, healthcare visits and other conditionalities associated with CCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange Durao
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marianne E Visser
- Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Vundli Ramokolo
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Bey-Marrié Schmidt
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Yusentha Balakrishna
- Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa
| | - Amanda Brand
- Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Anel Schoonees
- Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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Durao S, Visser ME, Ramokolo V, Oliveira JM, Schmidt BM, Balakrishna Y, Brand A, Kristjansson E, Schoonees A. Community-level interventions for improving access to food in low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020; 7:CD011504. [PMID: 32722849 PMCID: PMC7390433 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd011504.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND After decades of decline since 2005, the global prevalence of undernourishment reverted and since 2015 has increased to levels seen in 2010 to 2011. The prevalence is highest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially Africa and Asia. Food insecurity and associated undernutrition detrimentally affect health and socioeconomic development in the short and long term, for individuals, including children, and societies. Physical and economic access to food is crucial to ensure food security. Community-level interventions could be important to increase access to food in LMICs. OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of community-level interventions that aim to improve access to nutritious food in LMICs, for both the whole community and for disadvantaged or at-risk individuals or groups within a community, such as infants, children and women; elderly, poor or unemployed people; or minority groups. SEARCH METHODS We searched for relevant studies in 16 electronic databases, including trial registries, from 1980 to September 2019, and updated the searches in six key databases in February 2020. We applied no language or publication status limits. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster randomised controlled trials (cRCTs) and prospective controlled studies (PCS). All population groups, adults and children, living in communities in LMICs exposed to community-level interventions aiming to improve food access were eligible for inclusion. We excluded studies that only included participants with specific diseases or conditions (e.g. severely malnourished children). Eligible interventions were broadly categorised into those that improved buying power (e.g. create income-generation opportunities, cash transfer schemes); addressed food prices (e.g. vouchers and subsidies); addressed infrastructure and transport that affected physical access to food outlets; addressed the social environment and provided social support (e.g. social support from family, neighbours or government). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, and full texts of potentially eligible records, against the inclusion criteria. Disagreements were resolved through discussion or arbitration by a third author, if necessary. For each included study, two authors independently extracted data and a third author arbitrated disagreements. However, the outcome data were extracted by one author and checked by a biostatistician. We assessed risk of bias for all studies using the Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) risk of bias tool for studies with a separate control group. We conducted meta-analyses if there was a minimum of two studies for interventions within the same category, reporting the same outcome measure and these were sufficiently homogeneous. Where we were able to meta-analyse, we used the random-effects model to incorporate any existing heterogeneity. Where we were unable to conduct meta-analyses, we synthesised using vote counting based on effect direction. MAIN RESULTS We included 59 studies, including 214 to 169,485 participants, and 300 to 124, 644 households, mostly from Africa and Latin America, addressing the following six intervention types (three studies assessed two different types of interventions). Interventions that improved buying power: Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) (16 cRCTs, two RCTs, three PCSs): we found high-certainty evidence that UCTs improve food security and make little or no difference to cognitive function and development and low-certainty evidence that UCTs may increase dietary diversity and may reduce stunting. The evidence was very uncertain about the effects of UCTs on the proportion of household expenditure on food, and on wasting. Regarding adverse outcomes, evidence from one trial indicates that UCTs reduce the proportion of infants who are overweight. Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) (nine cRCTs, five PCSs): we found high-certainty evidence that CCTs result in little to no difference in the proportion of household expenditure on food and that they slightly improve cognitive function in children; moderate-certainty evidence that CCTs probably slightly improve dietary diversity and low-certainty evidence that they may make little to no difference to stunting or wasting. Evidence on adverse outcomes (two PCSs) shows that CCTs make no difference to the proportion of overweight children. Income generation interventions (six cRCTs, 11 PCSs): we found moderate-certainty evidence that income generation interventions probably make little or no difference to stunting or wasting; and low-certainty evidence that they may result in little to no difference to food security or that they may improve dietary diversity in children, but not for households. Interventions that addressed food prices: Food vouchers (three cRCTs, one RCT): we found moderate-certainty evidence that food vouchers probably reduce stunting; and low-certainty evidence that that they may improve dietary diversity slightly, and may result in little to no difference in wasting. Food and nutrition subsidies (one cRCT, three PCSs): we found low-certainty evidence that food and nutrition subsidies may improve dietary diversity among school children. The evidence is very uncertain about the effects on household expenditure on healthy foods as a proportion of total expenditure on food (very low-certainty evidence). Interventions that addressed the social environment: Social support interventions (one cRCT, one PCS): we found moderate-certainty evidence that community grants probably make little or no difference to wasting; low-certainty evidence that they may make little or no difference to stunting. The evidence is very uncertain about the effects of village savings and loans on food security and dietary diversity. None of the included studies addressed the intervention category of infrastructure changes. In addition, none of the studies reported on one of the primary outcomes of this review, namely prevalence of undernourishment. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS The body of evidence indicates that UCTs can improve food security. Income generation interventions do not seem to make a difference for food security, but the evidence is unclear for the other interventions. CCTs, UCTs, interventions that help generate income, interventions that help minimise impact of food prices through food vouchers and subsidies can potentially improve dietary diversity. UCTs and food vouchers may have a potential impact on reducing stunting, but CCTs, income generation interventions or social environment interventions do not seem to make a difference on wasting or stunting. CCTs seem to positively impact cognitive function and development, but not UCTs, which may be due to school attendance, healthcare visits and other conditionalities associated with CCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange Durao
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marianne E Visser
- Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Vundli Ramokolo
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Bey-Marrié Schmidt
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Yusentha Balakrishna
- Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa
| | - Amanda Brand
- Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Anel Schoonees
- Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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Affengruber L, Wagner G, Waffenschmidt S, Lhachimi SK, Nussbaumer-Streit B, Thaler K, Griebler U, Klerings I, Gartlehner G. Combining abbreviated literature searches with single-reviewer screening: three case studies of rapid reviews. Syst Rev 2020; 9:162. [PMID: 32682442 PMCID: PMC7368980 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-020-01413-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Decision-makers increasingly request rapid answers to clinical or public health questions. To save time, personnel, and financial resources, rapid reviews streamline the methodological steps of the systematic review process. We aimed to explore the validity of a rapid review approach that combines a substantially abbreviated literature search with a single-reviewer screening of abstracts and full texts using three case studies. METHODS We used a convenience sample of three ongoing Cochrane reviews as reference standards. Two reviews addressed oncological topics and one addressed a public health topic. For each of the three topics, three reviewers screened the literature independently. Our primary outcome was the change in conclusions between the rapid reviews and the respective Cochrane reviews. In case the rapid approach missed studies, we recalculated the meta-analyses for the main outcomes and asked Cochrane review authors if the new body of evidence would change their original conclusion compared with the reference standards. Additionally, we assessed the sensitivity of the rapid review approach compared with the results of the original Cochrane reviews. RESULTS For the two oncological topics (case studies 1 and 2), the three rapid reviews each yielded the same conclusions as the Cochrane reviews. However, the authors would have had less certainty about their conclusion in case study 2. For case study 3, the public health topic, only one of the three rapid reviews led to the same conclusion as the Cochrane review. The other two rapid reviews provided insufficient information for the authors to draw conclusions. Using the rapid review approach, the sensitivity was 100% (3 of 3) for case study 1. For case study 2, the three rapid reviews identified 40% (4 of 10), 50% (5 of 10), and 60% (6 of 10) of the included studies, respectively; for case study 3, the respective numbers were 38% (8 of 21), 43% (9 of 21), and 48% (10 of 21). CONCLUSIONS Within the limitations of these case studies, a rapid review approach that combines abbreviated literature searches with single-reviewer screening may be feasible for focused clinical questions. For complex public health topics, sensitivity seems to be insufficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Affengruber
- Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Cochrane Austria, Danube University Krems, Dr. Karl Dorrek Strasse 30, 3500 Krems, Austria
- Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Peter Debyeplein 1, 6229 HA Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Gernot Wagner
- Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Cochrane Austria, Danube University Krems, Dr. Karl Dorrek Strasse 30, 3500 Krems, Austria
| | - Siw Waffenschmidt
- Information Management Unit, Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), Im Mediapark 8, 50670 Cologne, Germany
| | - Stefan K. Lhachimi
- Research Group Evidence-Based Public Health, Leibniz Institute for Epidemiology and Prevention Research (BIPS), Bremen, Germany
- Health Sciences Bremen, Institute for Public Health and Nursing, University of Bremen, Achterstraße 30, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit
- Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Cochrane Austria, Danube University Krems, Dr. Karl Dorrek Strasse 30, 3500 Krems, Austria
| | - Kylie Thaler
- Medical Department I, Hanusch Krankenhaus der Wiener Gebietskrankenkasse, Heinrich-Collin-Straße 30, 1140 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ursula Griebler
- Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Cochrane Austria, Danube University Krems, Dr. Karl Dorrek Strasse 30, 3500 Krems, Austria
| | - Irma Klerings
- Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Cochrane Austria, Danube University Krems, Dr. Karl Dorrek Strasse 30, 3500 Krems, Austria
| | - Gerald Gartlehner
- Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Cochrane Austria, Danube University Krems, Dr. Karl Dorrek Strasse 30, 3500 Krems, Austria
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2194 USA
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Alam A, Khatun W, Khanam M, Ara G, Bokshi A, Li M, Dibley MJ. "In the Past, the Seeds I Planted often Didn't Grow." A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Assessment of Integrating Agriculture and Nutrition Behaviour Change Interventions with Cash Transfers in Rural Bangladesh. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17114153. [PMID: 32532096 PMCID: PMC7312022 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17114153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Combining agriculture with behaviour change communication and other nutrition-sensitive interventions could improve feeding practices to reduce maternal and child undernutrition. Such integrated intervention requires rigorous design and an appropriate implementation strategy to generate an impact. We assessed feasibility and acceptability of an intervention package that combines nutrition counselling, counselling and support for home-gardening, and unconditional cash transfers delivered to women on a mobile platform for improving maternal and child nutrition behaviours among low-income families in rural Bangladesh. We used mixed-methods including in-depth interviews with women (20), key-informant interviews with project workers (6), and a cross sectional survey of women (60). Women well-accepted the intervention and reported to be benefited by acquiring new skills and information on home gardening and nutrition. They established homestead gardens of seasonal vegetables successfully and were able to find a solution for major challenges. All women received the cash transfer. Ninety-one percent of women spent the cash for buying foods, 20% spent it on purchasing seeds or fertilizers and 57% used it for medical and livelihood purchases. Project staff and mobile banking agent reported no difficulty in cash transfer. Combining nutrition-specific and -sensitive interventions is a feasible and acceptable approach. Using mobile technologies can provide additional benefits for the intervention to reach the disadvantage families in rural settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraful Alam
- School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, Sydney 2006, Australia; (W.K.); (M.L.); (M.J.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-2-9351-8925
| | - Wajiha Khatun
- School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, Sydney 2006, Australia; (W.K.); (M.L.); (M.J.D.)
| | - Mansura Khanam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (M.K.); (G.A.)
| | - Gulshan Ara
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (M.K.); (G.A.)
| | - Anowarul Bokshi
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia;
| | - Mu Li
- School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, Sydney 2006, Australia; (W.K.); (M.L.); (M.J.D.)
| | - Michael J. Dibley
- School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, Sydney 2006, Australia; (W.K.); (M.L.); (M.J.D.)
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Lhachimi SK. Systematic reviews in public health: Exploring challenges and potential solutions. JOURNAL OF HEALTH MONITORING 2020; 5:15-16. [PMID: 35146288 PMCID: PMC8734153 DOI: 10.25646/6504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan K. Lhachimi
- Corresponding author Prof Dr Stefan K. Lhachimi, University of Bremen, Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research, Grazer Straße 4, 28359 Bremen, Germany, E-mail:
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Thorpe J, Viney K, Hensing G, Lönnroth K. Income security during periods of ill health: a scoping review of policies, practice and coverage in low-income and middle-income countries. BMJ Glob Health 2020; 5:e002425. [PMID: 32540963 PMCID: PMC7299014 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder that insufficient income security in periods of ill health leads to economic hardship for individuals and hampers disease control efforts as people struggle to stay home when sick or advised to observe quarantine. Evidence on income security during periods of ill health is growing but has not previously been reviewed as a full body of work concerning low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We performed a scoping review to map the range, features, coverage, protective effects and equity of policies that aim to provide income security for adults whose ill health prevents them from participating in gainful work. A total of 134 studies were included, providing data from 95% of LMICs. However, data across the majority of these countries were severely limited. Collectively the included studies demonstrate that coverage of contributory income-security schemes is low, especially for informal and low-income workers. Meanwhile, non-contributory schemes targeting low-income groups are often not explicitly designed to provide income support in periods of ill health, they can be difficult to access and rarely provide sufficient income support to cover the needs of eligible recipients. While identifying an urgent need for more research on illness-related income security in LMICs, this review concludes that scaling up and diversifying the range of income security interventions is crucial for improving coverage and equity. To achieve these outcomes, illness-related income protection must receive greater recognition in health policy and health financing circles, expanding our understanding of financial hardship beyond direct medical costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Thorpe
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kerri Viney
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University Research Division of Biomedical Science and Biochemistry, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Gunnel Hensing
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Goteborg, Sweden
| | - Knut Lönnroth
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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Arundell LL, Greenwood H, Baldwin H, Kotas E, Smith S, Trojanowska K, Cooper C. Advancing mental health equality: a mapping review of interventions, economic evaluations and barriers and facilitators. Syst Rev 2020; 9:115. [PMID: 32456670 PMCID: PMC7251669 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-020-01333-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This work aimed to identify studies of interventions seeking to address mental health inequalities, studies assessing the economic impact of such interventions and factors which act as barriers and those that can facilitate interventions to address inequalities in mental health care. METHODS A systematic mapping method was chosen. Studies were included if they: (1) focused on a population with: (a) mental health disorders, (b) protected or other characteristics putting them at risk of experiencing mental health inequalities; (2) addressed an intervention focused on addressing mental health inequalities; and (3) met criteria for one or more of three research questions: (i) primary research studies (any study design) or systematic reviews reporting effectiveness findings for an intervention or interventions, (ii) studies reporting economic evaluation findings, (iii) primary research studies (any study design) or systematic reviews identifying or describing, potential barriers or facilitators to interventions. A bibliographic search of MEDLINE, HMIC, ASSIA, Social Policy & Practice, Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts and PsycINFO spanned January 2008 to December 2018. Study selection was performed according to inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and tabulated to map studies and summarise published research on mental health inequalities. A visual representation of the mapping review (a mapping diagram) is included. RESULTS Overall, 128 studies met inclusion criteria: 115 primary studies and 13 systematic reviews. Of those, 94 looked at interventions, 6 at cost-effectiveness and 36 at barriers and facilitators. An existing taxonomy of disparities interventions was used and modified to categorise interventions by type and strategy. Most of the identified interventions focused on addressing socioeconomic factors, race disparities and age-related issues. The most frequently used intervention strategy was providing psychological support. Barriers and associated facilitators were categorised into groups including (not limited to) access to care, communication issues and financial constraints. CONCLUSIONS The mapping review was useful in assessing the spread of literature and identifying highly researched areas versus prominent gaps. The findings are useful for clinicians, commissioners and service providers seeking to understand strategies to support the advancement of mental health equality for different populations and could be used to inform further research and support local decision-making. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura-Louise Arundell
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, WC1E 7HB UK
- National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH), Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB UK
| | - Helen Greenwood
- National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH), Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB UK
| | - Helen Baldwin
- National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH), Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB UK
| | - Eleanor Kotas
- York Economics Consortium, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Shubulade Smith
- National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH), Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB UK
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK
| | - Kasia Trojanowska
- National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH), Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB UK
| | - Chris Cooper
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, WC1E 7HB UK
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF UK
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Foster C, Ayers S, Fidler S. Antiretroviral adherence for adolescents growing up with HIV: understanding real life, drug delivery and forgiveness. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2020; 7:2049936120920177. [PMID: 32523693 PMCID: PMC7236389 DOI: 10.1177/2049936120920177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Poorer adherence to medication is normal in adolescence and is one of a range of risk-taking behaviours common during a developmental stage that encompasses enormous cognitive, physical, sexual, social and emotional change. For adolescents living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) confers two significant challenges: poor health, but also the specific additional burden of onward transmission to partners. Late adolescence (15-19 years) is the only age group where HIV-associated mortality is rising, driven by poor adherence to ART and lack of access to second-line therapy, particularly amongst surviving perinatally infected young people. A previous lack of well-powered randomised multimodal behavioural ART adherence interventions specifically targeting adolescents is now being addressed and ongoing studies registered to ClinicalTrials.gov are described in the context of previous data. Accepting that despite enhanced support, some adolescents will continue to struggle with adherence, we must address how best to use existing ART agents to reduce mortality and allow adolescents the time to mature into adult life. Single-tablet regimens with a high genetic barrier to resistance based on integrase inhibitors and boosted protease inhibitors exist, but global access, in resource limited settings of young people living with HIV reside, is limited. Pragmatically, such regimens tolerate the intermittent adherence so characteristic of adolescence, preserving immune function, without the rapid evolution of resistance. The potential role of long-acting injectable ART, specifically cabotegravir and rilpivirine, is discussed and future strategies including ultra-long-acting drug-delivery systems and broadly neutralising monoclonal antibodies explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Foster
- The 900 Clinic, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK
| | - Sara Ayers
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Sarah Fidler
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
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Falb KL, Blackwell AH, Stennes J, Annan J. Cash assistance programming and changes over time in ability to meet basic needs, food insecurity and depressive symptoms in Raqqa Governorate, Syria: Evidence from a mixed methods, pre-posttest. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232588. [PMID: 32379836 PMCID: PMC7205216 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Raqqa Governorate has been grappling with dual crisis-related burdens from the civil conflict and ISIS occupation. As part of a response to support households within this area, a three-month, unconditional cash assistance program was implemented by the International Rescue Committee to help households meet their basic needs. A quantitative, pre-posttest with 512 women at baseline (n = 456 at endline) was conducted in northern Raqqa Governorate between March-August 2018 to determine their experiences in this cash assistance program and to understand perceived change over time in food insecurity, perceived household serious needs and daily stressors, and depressive symptoms before and after cash was delivered. Forty women also completed in-depth interviews using a life line history technique at endline. Linear household fixed effects models demonstrated significant reductions in food insecurity (β = -0.95; 95%CI: -1.19--0.71), no change in perceived serious household needs and daily stressors (β = 0.12; 95%CI: -0.24-0.48), and increases in depressive symptoms (β = 0.89; 95%CI: 0.34-1.43) before and after the period of cash distribution. Although no causality can be inferred, short-term emergency cash assistance programming yielded significant improvements in food security, was highly acceptable and viewed favorably, and assisted women and their families to meet their basic needs in this emergency setting. However, before and after this form of cash assistance was implemented, no meaningful changes in the perceived levels of serious needs and stressors amongst households were observed, but potential increases in depressive symptoms for women were reported during this time period. Further work is needed to determine appropriate targeting, length, and dosage of cash, alongside any potential livelihood, psychosocial, or structural complementary programming to yield potential positive mental health benefits of a cash assistance program focused on meeting a population's basic needs while not inadvertently delaying or decreasing reach of life-saving cash assistance programming in emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L. Falb
- International Rescue Committee, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | | | - Julianne Stennes
- International Rescue Committee, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Jeannie Annan
- International Rescue Committee, Washington, DC, United States of America
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Pfinder M, Heise TL, Hilton Boon M, Pega F, Fenton C, Griebler U, Gartlehner G, Sommer I, Katikireddi SV, Lhachimi SK. Taxation of unprocessed sugar or sugar-added foods for reducing their consumption and preventing obesity or other adverse health outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020; 4:CD012333. [PMID: 32270494 PMCID: PMC7141932 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd012333.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Global prevalence of overweight and obesity are alarming. For tackling this public health problem, preventive public health and policy actions are urgently needed. Some countries implemented food taxes in the past and some were subsequently abolished. Some countries, such as Norway, Hungary, Denmark, Bermuda, Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Navajo Nation (USA), specifically implemented taxes on unprocessed sugar and sugar-added foods. These taxes on unprocessed sugar and sugar-added foods are fiscal policy interventions, implemented to decrease their consumption and in turn reduce adverse health-related, economic and social effects associated with these food products. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of taxation of unprocessed sugar or sugar-added foods in the general population on the consumption of unprocessed sugar or sugar-added foods, the prevalence and incidence of overweight and obesity, and the prevalence and incidence of other diet-related health outcomes. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, Embase and 15 other databases and trials registers on 12 September 2019. We handsearched the reference list of all records of included studies, searched websites of international organisations and institutions, and contacted review advisory group members to identify planned, ongoing or unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA We included studies with the following populations: children (0 to 17 years) and adults (18 years or older) from any country and setting. Exclusion applied to studies with specific subgroups, such as people with any disease who were overweight or obese as a side-effect of the disease. The review included studies with taxes on or artificial increases of selling prices for unprocessed sugar or food products that contain added sugar (e.g. sweets, ice cream, confectionery, and bakery products), or both, as intervention, regardless of the taxation level or price increase. In line with Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) criteria, we included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-randomised controlled trials (cRCTs), non-randomised controlled trials (nRCTs), controlled before-after (CBA) studies, and interrupted time series (ITS) studies. We included controlled studies with more than one intervention or control site and ITS studies with a clearly defined intervention time and at least three data points before and three after the intervention. Our primary outcomes were consumption of unprocessed sugar or sugar-added foods, energy intake, overweight, and obesity. Our secondary outcomes were substitution and diet, expenditure, demand, and other health outcomes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently screened all eligible records for inclusion, assessed the risk of bias, and performed data extraction.Two review authors independently assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS We retrieved a total of 24,454 records. After deduplicating records, 18,767 records remained for title and abstract screening. Of 11 potentially relevant studies, we included one ITS study with 40,210 household-level observations from the Hungarian Household Budget and Living Conditions Survey. The baseline ranged from January 2008 to August 2011, the intervention was implemented on September 2011, and follow-up was until December 2012 (16 months). The intervention was a tax - the so-called 'Hungarian public health product tax' - on sugar-added foods, including selected foods exceeding a specific sugar threshold value. The intervention includes co-interventions: the taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and of foods high in salt or caffeine. The study provides evidence on the effect of taxing foods exceeding a specific sugar threshold value on the consumption of sugar-added foods. After implementation of the Hungarian public health product tax, the mean consumption of taxed sugar-added foods (measured in units of kg) decreased by 4.0% (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.040, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.07 to -0.01; very low-certainty evidence). The study was at low risk of bias in terms of performance bias, detection bias and reporting bias, with the shape of effect pre-specified and the intervention unlikely to have any effect on data collection. The study was at unclear risk of attrition bias and at high risk in terms of other bias and the independence of the intervention. We rated the certainty of the evidence as very low for the primary and secondary outcomes. The Hungarian public health product tax included a tax on sugar-added foods but did not include a tax on unprocessed sugar. We did not find eligible studies reporting on the taxation of unprocessed sugar. No studies reported on the primary outcomes of consumption of unprocessed sugar, energy intake, overweight, and obesity. No studies reported on the secondary outcomes of substitution and diet, demand, and other health outcomes. No studies reported on differential effects across population subgroups. We could not perform meta-analyses or pool study results. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There was very limited evidence and the certainty of the evidence was very low. Despite the reported reduction in consumption of taxed sugar-added foods, we are uncertain whether taxing unprocessed sugar or sugar-added foods has an effect on reducing their consumption and preventing obesity or other adverse health outcomes. Further robustly conducted studies are required to draw concrete conclusions on the effectiveness of taxing unprocessed sugar or sugar-added foods for reducing their consumption and preventing obesity or other adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Pfinder
- AOK Baden‐WürttembergDepartment of Health PromotionPresselstr. 19StuttgartBaden‐WürttembergGermany70191
- University Hospital, University of HeidelbergDepartment of General Practice and Health Services ResearchVossstrasse 2HeidelbergBremenGermanyD‐69115
- University of BremenInstitute for Public Health and Nursing Research, Health Sciences BremenBibliothekstr. 1BremenBremenGermany28359
| | - Thomas L Heise
- University of BremenInstitute for Public Health and Nursing Research, Health Sciences BremenBibliothekstr. 1BremenBremenGermany28359
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and EpidemiologyResearch Group for Evidence‐Based Public HealthAchterstr. 30BremenGermany28359
| | - Michele Hilton Boon
- University of GlasgowMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences UnitGlasgowUK
| | - Frank Pega
- University of OtagoPublic Health23A Mein Street, NewtownWellingtonNew Zealand6242
| | - Candida Fenton
- University of EdinburghUsher Institute of Population Health Sciences and InformaticsMedical SchoolTeviot PlaceEdinburghUKEH8 9AG
| | - Ursula Griebler
- Danube University KremsCochrane Austria, Department for Evidence‐based Medicine and EvaluationDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek Str. 30KremsAustria3500
| | - Gerald Gartlehner
- Danube University KremsCochrane Austria, Department for Evidence‐based Medicine and EvaluationDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek Str. 30KremsAustria3500
| | - Isolde Sommer
- Danube University KremsCochrane Austria, Department for Evidence‐based Medicine and EvaluationDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek Str. 30KremsAustria3500
| | | | - Stefan K Lhachimi
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and EpidemiologyResearch Group for Evidence‐Based Public HealthAchterstr. 30BremenGermany28359
- University of BremenDepartment for Health Services Research, Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research, Health Sciences BremenBibliotheksstr. 1BremenGermany28359
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Pandey S, Fusaro V. Food insecurity among women of reproductive age in Nepal: prevalence and correlates. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:175. [PMID: 32019537 PMCID: PMC7001376 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-8298-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity is widely prevalent in certain sections of society in low and middle-income countries. The United Nations has challenged all member countries to eliminate hunger for all people by 2030. This study examines the prevalence and correlates of household food insecurity among women, especially Dalit women of reproductive age in Nepal. METHODS Data came from 2016 Nepal Demographic Health Survey, a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey that included 12,862 women between 15 and 49 years of age of which 12% were Dalit. Descriptive analysis was used to assess the prevalence of household food insecurity while logistic regression examined the relationship between women's ethnicity and the risk of food insecurity after accounting for demographic, economic, cultural, and geo-ecological characteristics. RESULTS About 56% of all women and 76% of Dalit women had experienced food insecurity. Ethnicity is strongly related to food insecurity. Dalit women were most likely to be food insecure, even after accounting for factors such as education and wealth. They were 82, 85, 89 and 92% more vulnerable to food insecurity than Muslims, Brahmin/Chhetri, Terai Indigenous, and Hill Indigenous populations, respectively. Education was a protective factor-women with secondary education (6th to 10th grade) were 39% less likely to be food insecure compared to their counterparts without education. With a more than 10th grade education, women were 2.27 times more likely to be food secure compared to their counterparts without education. Marriage was also protective. Economically, household wealth is inversely correlated with food insecurity. Finally, residence in the Mid-Western, Far-Western and Central Development regions was correlated with food insecurity. CONCLUSION To reduce food insecurity in Nepal, interventions should focus on improving women's education and wealth, especially among Dalit and those residing in the Far- and Mid-Western regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanta Pandey
- Boston College School of Social Work, McGuinn Hall, Room 311, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
| | - Vincent Fusaro
- Boston College School of Social Work, McGuinn Hall, Room 311, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
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Prevalence and socioeconomic determinants of development delay among children in Ceará, Brazil: A population-based study. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215343. [PMID: 31689294 PMCID: PMC6830766 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To assess the prevalence of child development delay and to identify socioeconomic determinants. Study design We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of children 2 to 72 months of age residing in the state of Ceará, Brazil. In total, 3200 households were randomly selected for participation in the study and had child development assessed with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) version 3. Development delay was defined as a score of less than -2 standard deviations below the median of the Brazilian ASQ standard. We present population-level prevalence of delay in five development domains and assess socioeconomic determinants. Results A total of 3566 children completed the ASQ development assessment of which 9.2% (95% CI: 8.1–10.5) had at least one domain with development delay. The prevalence of delay increased with age in all domains and males were at higher risk for communication, gross motor and personal-social development delays as compared to females (p-values <0.05). We found robust associations of indicators of socioeconomic status with risk of development delay; increasing monthly income and higher social class were associated with reduced risk of delay across all domains (28,2% in the poorest and 21,2% in richest for any delay, p-values <0.05 for all domains). In addition, children in poor households that participated in conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs appeared to have reduced risk of delay as compared to children from households that were eligible, but did not participate, in CCT programs. Conclusions There is a relatively high population-level prevalence of development delay in at least one domain among children 0–6 years of age in Ceará, Brazil. Integrated child development, social support, and poverty reduction interventions may reduce the population-level prevalence of development delay in Ceará and similar settings.
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Pundir P, Saran A, White H, Adona J, Subrahmanian R. PROTOCOL: The effectiveness of interventions for reducing violence against children: An evidence and gap map in low- and middle-income countries. CAMPBELL SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS 2019; 15:e1040. [PMID: 37016721 PMCID: PMC8356504 DOI: 10.1002/cl2.1040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Prachi Pundir
- Campbell Collaboration2nd Floor, West Wing, ISID Complex, Vasant KunjDelhi110070India
| | - Ashrita Saran
- Campbell Collaboration2nd Floor, West Wing, ISID Complex, Vasant KunjDelhi110070India
| | - Howard White
- Campbell Collaboration2nd Floor, West Wing, ISID Complex, Vasant KunjDelhi110070India
| | - Jill Adona
- Asian Development BankManilaPhilippinesPhilippines
| | - Ramya Subrahmanian
- UNICEF Office of Research‐ InnocentiPiazza SS. AnnunziataFlorence12 50122Italy
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Le Port A, Zongrone A, Savy M, Fortin S, Kameli Y, Sessou E, Diatta AD, Koulidiati JL, Kodjo NE, Kamayera F, Mahamadou T, Martin-Prevel Y, Ruel MT. Program Impact Pathway Analysis Reveals Implementation Challenges that Limited the Incentive Value of Conditional Cash Transfers Aimed at Improving Maternal and Child Health Care Use in Mali. Curr Dev Nutr 2019; 3:nzz084. [PMID: 31528837 PMCID: PMC6735791 DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzz084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The program "Santé Nutritionnelle à Assise Communautaire à Kayes" (SNACK) in Mali aimed to improve child linear growth through a set of interventions targeted to mothers and children during pregnancy and up to the child's second birthday. Distributions of cash to mothers and/or lipid-based nutrient supplement to children 6-23 mo of age were added to SNACK to increase attendance at community health centers (CHCs). OBJECTIVES The aim of this study, which was embedded in a cluster-randomized impact evaluation of the program, was to assess the incentive value of the cash in relation to CHC attendance. METHODS We used a mixed-methods approach. We collected quantitative data on cash receipt and CHC attendance in a midline survey of mother-child pairs (n = 3443). A program impact pathway analysis guided qualitative data collection and analysis. Twelve CHCs were purposively selected in study groups that received cash. We conducted semistructured continuous observations of cash distributions in 11 CHCs (n = 22) and semistructured qualitative interviews with frontline workers (FLWs) (n = 71) and mothers (n = 22) who were purposively selected from the midline survey. RESULTS FLWs' knowledge of the objective and implementation plan of the cash program component was limited. A challenging physical environment and insufficient cash available for each distribution were identified as causes of irregularities in cash distributions. Most mothers mentioned having to return several times to receive their cash. Child health was identified as the main motivation to attend CHCs and cash was described as an additional benefit. CONCLUSION Implementation constraints related to remoteness and inaccessibility may have undermined the incentive value of the cash transfers in the SNACK program. Additional research is needed to identify interventions that not only incentivize mothers to participate but that can be implemented effectively and with high quality in challenging contexts such as rural areas of Mali.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Le Port
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Amanda Zongrone
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Mathilde Savy
- UMR204 “Nutripass” (IRD-UM-SupAgro), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Montpellier, France
| | - Sonia Fortin
- UMR204 “Nutripass” (IRD-UM-SupAgro), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Montpellier, France
| | - Yves Kameli
- UMR204 “Nutripass” (IRD-UM-SupAgro), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Montpellier, France
| | - Eric Sessou
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ampa Dogui Diatta
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | | | | | | | - Yves Martin-Prevel
- UMR204 “Nutripass” (IRD-UM-SupAgro), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Montpellier, France
| | - Marie T Ruel
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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McCartney G, Hearty W, Arnot J, Popham F, Cumbers A, McMaster R. Impact of Political Economy on Population Health: A Systematic Review of Reviews. Am J Public Health 2019; 109:e1-e12. [PMID: 31067117 PMCID: PMC6507992 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2019.305001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Background. Although there is a large literature examining the relationship between a wide range of political economy exposures and health outcomes, the extent to which the different aspects of political economy influence health, and through which mechanisms and in what contexts, is only partially understood. The areas in which there are few high-quality studies are also unclear. Objectives. To systematically review the literature describing the impact of political economy on population health. Search Methods. We undertook a systematic review of reviews, searching MEDLINE, Embase, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, ProQuest Public Health, Sociological Abstracts, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, EconLit, SocINDEX, Web of Science, and the gray literature via Google Scholar. Selection Criteria. We included studies that were a review of the literature. Relevant exposures were differences or changes in policy, law, or rules; economic conditions; institutions or social structures; or politics, power, or conflict. Relevant outcomes were any overall measure of population health such as self-assessed health, mortality, life expectancy, survival, morbidity, well-being, illness, ill health, and life span. Two authors independently reviewed all citations for relevance. Data Collection and Analysis. We undertook critical appraisal of all included reviews by using modified Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) criteria and then synthesized narratively giving greater weight to the higher-quality reviews. Main Results. From 4912 citations, we included 58 reviews. Both the quality of the reviews and the underlying studies within the reviews were variable. Social democratic welfare states, higher public spending, fair trade policies, extensions to compulsory education provision, microfinance initiatives in low-income countries, health and safety policy, improved access to health care, and high-quality affordable housing have positive impacts on population health. Neoliberal restructuring seems to be associated with increased health inequalities and higher income inequality with lower self-rated health and higher mortality. Authors' Conclusions. Politics, economics, and public policy are important determinants of population health. Countries with social democratic regimes, higher public spending, and lower income inequalities have populations with better health. There are substantial gaps in the synthesized evidence on the relationship between political economy and health, and there is a need for higher-quality reviews and empirical studies in this area. However, there is sufficient evidence in this review, if applied through policy and practice, to have marked beneficial health impacts. Public Health Implications. Policymakers should be aware that social democratic welfare state types, countries that spend more on public services, and countries with lower income inequalities have better self-rated health and lower mortality. Research funders and researchers should be aware that there remain substantial gaps in the available evidence base. One such area concerns the interrelationship between governance, polities, power, macroeconomic policy, public policy, and population health, including how these aspects of political economy generate social class processes and forms of discrimination that have a differential impact across social groups. This includes the influence of patterns of ownership (of land and capital) and tax policies. For some areas, there are many lower-quality reviews, which leave uncertainties in the relationship between political economy and population health, and a high-quality review is needed. There are also areas in which the available reviews have identified primary research gaps such as the impact of changes to housing policy, availability, and tenure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerry McCartney
- Gerry McCartney, Wendy Hearty, and Julie Arnot are with Public Health Science, NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland. Frank Popham is with Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow. Gerry McCartney, Andrew Cumbers, and Robert McMaster are with Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
| | - Wendy Hearty
- Gerry McCartney, Wendy Hearty, and Julie Arnot are with Public Health Science, NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland. Frank Popham is with Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow. Gerry McCartney, Andrew Cumbers, and Robert McMaster are with Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
| | - Julie Arnot
- Gerry McCartney, Wendy Hearty, and Julie Arnot are with Public Health Science, NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland. Frank Popham is with Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow. Gerry McCartney, Andrew Cumbers, and Robert McMaster are with Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
| | - Frank Popham
- Gerry McCartney, Wendy Hearty, and Julie Arnot are with Public Health Science, NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland. Frank Popham is with Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow. Gerry McCartney, Andrew Cumbers, and Robert McMaster are with Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
| | - Andrew Cumbers
- Gerry McCartney, Wendy Hearty, and Julie Arnot are with Public Health Science, NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland. Frank Popham is with Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow. Gerry McCartney, Andrew Cumbers, and Robert McMaster are with Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
| | - Robert McMaster
- Gerry McCartney, Wendy Hearty, and Julie Arnot are with Public Health Science, NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland. Frank Popham is with Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow. Gerry McCartney, Andrew Cumbers, and Robert McMaster are with Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
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Hulshof CTJ, Colosio C, Daams JG, Ivanov ID, Prakash KC, Kuijer PPFM, Leppink N, Mandic-Rajcevic S, Masci F, van der Molen HF, Neupane S, Nygård CH, Oakman J, Pega F, Proper K, Prüss-Üstün AM, Ujita Y, Frings-Dresen MHW. WHO/ILO work-related burden of disease and injury: Protocol for systematic reviews of exposure to occupational ergonomic risk factors and of the effect of exposure to occupational ergonomic risk factors on osteoarthritis of hip or knee and selected other musculoskeletal diseases. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 125:554-566. [PMID: 30583853 PMCID: PMC7794864 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.09.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are developing a joint methodology for estimating the national and global work-related burden of disease and injury (WHO/ILO joint methodology), with contributions from a large network of experts. In this paper, we present the protocol for two systematic reviews of parameters for estimating the number of disability-adjusted life years from osteoarthritis of hip or knee, and selected other musculoskeletal diseases respectively, attributable to exposure to occupational ergonomic risk factors to inform the development of the WHO/ILO joint methodology. OBJECTIVES We aim to systematically review studies on exposure to occupational ergonomic risk factors (Systematic Review 1) and systematically review and meta-analyze estimates of the effect of exposure to occupational ergonomic risk factors on osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, and selected other musculoskeletal diseases respectively (Systematic Review 2), applying the Navigation Guide systematic review methodology as an organizing framework, conducting both systematic reviews in tandem and in a harmonized way. DATA SOURCES Separately for Systematic Reviews 1 and 2, we will search electronic academic databases for potentially relevant records from published and unpublished studies, including Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science and CISDOC. We will also search electronic grey literature databases, Internet search engines and organizational websites; hand-search reference lists of previous systematic reviews and included study records; and consult additional experts. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA We will include working-age (≥15 years) workers in the formal and informal economy in any WHO and/or ILO Member State, but exclude children (<15 years) and unpaid domestic workers. The included occupational ergonomic risk factors will be any exposure to one or more of: force exertion; demanding posture; repetitiveness; hand-arm vibration; lifting; kneeling and/or squatting; and climbing. Included outcomes will be (i) osteoarthritis and (ii) other musculoskeletal diseases (i.e., one or more of: rotator cuff syndrome; bicipital tendinitis; calcific tendinitis; shoulder impingement; bursitis shoulder; epicondylitis medialis; epicondylitis lateralis; bursitis elbow; bursitis hip; chondromalacia patellae; meniscus disorders; and/or bursitis knee). For Systematic Review 1, we will include quantitative prevalence studies of any exposure to occupational ergonomic risk factors stratified by country, gender, age and industrial sector or occupation. For Systematic Review 2, we will include randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control-studies and other non-randomized intervention studies with an estimate of the relative effect of any exposure with occupational ergonomic risk factors on the prevalence or incidence of osteoarthritis and/or selected musculoskeletal diseases, compared with the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (i.e., no exposure). STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS At least two review authors will independently screen titles and abstracts against the eligibility criteria at a first stage and full texts of potentially eligible records at a second stage, followed by extraction of data from qualifying studies. At least two review authors will assess risk of bias and the quality of evidence, using the most suited tools currently available. For Systematic Review 2, if feasible, we will combine relative risks using meta-analysis. We will report results using the guidelines for accurate and transparent health estimates reporting (GATHER) for Systematic Review 1 and the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines (PRISMA) for Systematic Review 2. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018102631.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carel T J Hulshof
- Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Claudio Colosio
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; International Centre for Rural Heath, University Hospital San Paolo, Milan, Italy.
| | - Joost G Daams
- Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Ivan D Ivanov
- Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - K C Prakash
- Faculty of Social Science (Health Sciences), University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Paul P F M Kuijer
- Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Nancy Leppink
- Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch, International Labour Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Stefan Mandic-Rajcevic
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; International Centre for Rural Heath, University Hospital San Paolo, Milan, Italy.
| | - Frederica Masci
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; International Centre for Rural Heath, University Hospital San Paolo, Milan, Italy.
| | - Henk F van der Molen
- Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Subas Neupane
- Faculty of Social Science (Health Sciences), University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Clas-Håkan Nygård
- Faculty of Social Science (Health Sciences), University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
| | | | - Frank Pega
- Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Karin Proper
- Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Annette M Prüss-Üstün
- Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Yuka Ujita
- Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch, International Labour Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Monique H W Frings-Dresen
- Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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Effects of short-term cash and food incentives on food insecurity and nutrition among HIV-infected adults in Tanzania. AIDS 2019; 33:515-524. [PMID: 30325776 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Food insecurity impedes antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. We previously demonstrated that short-term cash and food incentives increased ART possession and retention in HIV services in Tanzania. To elucidate potential pathways that led to these achievements, we examined whether incentives also improved food insecurity. DESIGN Three-arm randomized controlled trial. METHODS From 2013 to 2015, 805 food-insecure adult ART initiates (≤90 days) at three clinics were randomized to receive cash or food transfers (∼$11 per month for ≤6 months, conditional on visit attendance) or standard-of-care (SOC) services. We assessed changes from baseline to 6 and 12 months in: food insecurity (severe; access; dietary diversity), nutritional status (body weight; BMI), and work status. Difference-in-differences average treatment effects were estimated using inverse-probability-of-censoring-weighted longitudinal regression models. RESULTS The modified intention-to-treat analysis included 777 nonpregnant participants with 41.6% severe food insecurity. All three study groups experienced improvements from baseline in food insecurity, nutritional status, and work status. After 6 months, severe food insecurity declined within the cash (-31.4% points to 11.5%) and food (-30.3 to 10.4%) groups, but not within the SOC. Relative to the SOC, severe food insecurity decreased by an additional 24.3% points for cash (95% CI -45.0 to -3.5) and 23.3% percent points for food (95% CI -43.8 to -2.7). Neither intervention augmented improvements in severe food insecurity at 12 months, nor food access, dietary diversity, nutritional status, or work status at 6 or 12 months. CONCLUSION Small cash and food transfers provided at treatment initiation may mitigate severe food insecurity. These effects may have facilitated previously observed improvements in ART adherence.
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